Fortnum & Mason 70% Papua New Guinea Dark Chocolate
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I bought this 70% Papua New Guinea Dark Chocolate Bar on my trip to Fortnum & Mason a couple of months ago and have only just managed to review it. If you wanted a quick summary it has a bitterness that belies its 70% and a character that is unique – to say the least.
As with everything that Fortnum & Mason retail the packaging has an air of sophistication. Even on opening you’re met with an inner sleeve that fits like a Rolls Royce door. And within the secondary packaging you’ll find a cellophane wrap that contains the very dark looking chocolate with the letters ‘F’ and ‘M’ embossed onto it.
Moving on to the aroma there were strong sandy, caramel tones with just an edge of tobacco. There was nothing at all sweet to it, not even the slightest hint of that caramel led me to believe that this was going to be anywhere near as sweet as the Chocolate Cafe bar of the same cocoa content.
The flavour was undoubtedly bitter, and perhaps more bitter tasting that the 85% Amatller I tried from Ecuador. It was even approaching the 99% from Michel Cluizel. I definitely believe this was produced in a different way to other dark chocolate from the same Trinitario beans. On the edges there is a sweet taste, but there was also the texture and notes that you get from raw chocolate. This dark chocolate just seems under-processed compared to other 70% cocoa chocolate.
Even if you push the chocolate through your teeth you’ll get ethanol flavours with only the odd ray of sweet sunshine breaking through the oppressive bitter flavours. This wouldn’t be a great bar to introduce someone to dark chocolate.
