Raaka Chocolate 66% Smoked Chai Chocolate Bar, 1.8 Oz

I like to think that I have a relatively decent palate. I can enjoy both a McDonald’s burger and a nice plate of escargot. However, this chocolate just wasn’t for me. It has a very rich dark chocolate flavor, and a nice spice from the chai. There was a sort of fermented flavor that I’m assuming is from the raw cocoa. It’s still quite delicious, but wasn’t as enjoyable as I had hoped.

I love this bar. Creamy texture and sweet, warm, slightly spicy character. Lapsang is one of my favorite teas and to see it infused in chocolate was very exciting. Raaka consistently makes sophisticated and interesting flavors and this is for sure one of them.If you don't know the company, Raaka makes their chocolate from unroasted cacao which highlights the natural flavor of the bean - kind of makes chocolate more like coffee, where emphasis is put on the bean varietals. You can taste the difference in cacao beans as well, and this bolivian is warm and sweet, yum yum.

This has that subtle grit in the texture that I love about a lot of unprocessed cacao, Raaka's in particular. It melts in the mouth slowly as the flavors begin to emerge; the lapsang wasn't as strong as I'd expected as I've had some pretty intense lapsang chai so was expecting a very smokey experience. It's much more subtle here, lending more of a distant campfire essence. It has a nice, dark and subtly spiced aftertaste that keeps lingering. I appreciate raw (or in Raaka's case "virgin") chocolate for all of these subtle layers and lingerings.

Tasted exactly like a Hershy's special dark bar😑.

This bar is moderately better than the Banana's Foster bar. I expected more from such a high price tag.