SCHARFEEN BERGER Artisan Chocolate Bars, Bittersweet, 3 Ounce (Pack of 6)

Oh for heavens sake; these are supposed to be reviews of chocolate, not legal complaints about buttons found in a chocolate bar bought *at your local store*, not through Amazon.com. Yeesh. Scharffen Berger 70% (that's 70% cacao) is the perfect degree of darkness, in my opinion; their milk chocolate tastes pretty much like everybody else's (maybe a little better), and their 82% is too caffeineated for me (I would find myself clinging to the ceiling with fingers and toes, like a Gekko); but if you have a higher caffeine tolerance, you might like the bitterness of the 82% more than the 70% -- experiment! (I haven't had occasion to try the 62% yet, but I would probably consider it not dark enough.) This is sipping chocolate, not chugging chocolate: It's best to nibble a little bit with each tiny bite, focusing all of your attention on the flavor, consistency, fragrance, and the aftertaste. Valrhona is another good chockie, sweeter that Scharffen Berger and (in my opinion) with a simpler taste. If I were cooking something with chocolate, I would choose Valrhona; but for eating straight, I prefer SB. Valrhona (from the Rhone Valley, hence the name) is a classic European chocolate -- French, in this case. Scharffen Berger is American, despite the name, from Berkeley; in 2005, Hershey bought them out; but I don't believe the parent company has monkeyed with the manufacture of SB chocolate. Wikipedia says that Scharffen Berger was the first American chocolate manufacturer to open in 50 years that creates its own chocolate "from bean to bar." They taste very different, each being at the top of form for the region (Europe or America). I think Valrhona has a wider selection of flavors in their chocolate, but they all tastes a bit too sugary to me; Scharffen Berger is more a dessert than mere chocolate, but neither one is a simple candy bar. The prices are comparable to buying the same chocolate from Whole Foods or some other store that sells gourmet chocolate. However, since it's sold by third-party grocers, you can't get free shipping; at least I don't see any reference to it. And shipping is pricey: eight dollars for chocolate costing up to thirty dollars worth... so if you can find it at a local store, you're better off buying it from there. But if you live in a chocolate desert, this is an alternative, if you must have a truly fine chocolate.

Since we like chocolate that is not awfully sweet we decided to try a few of these bars. The taste was delightful and left a nice bittersweet ending on the palate.

In the past when I have bought this brand of chocolate, it has been excellent in quality and taste. The packaged product I received was old and very hard to bite into. The bars had white splotches on them , indicating that they had possibly melted in storage and then hardened again. I will not order this chocolate through the mail again.

I have found no better 70% dark chocolate than Scharffen Berger. If you told me I would be ordering my chocolate on-line ever before in my life, I would say you were crazy. When my local supplier runs out, I try all of the other high end chocolates. I have not, to date, found a chocolate that is as good as this one. In a taste test, side by side or trying something else on its own, nothing compares. The taste is a perfect blend of bitter with a hint of sweet. No waxy or milky tastes. The texture is excellent as well as the flavor. I don't know how they make it but I'm glad they do. I used to be the only one who ate them, but once my red wine loving husband found out about them ... now I have to keep a stash hidden or it is gone with the next bottle he opens, if not before.

Most of Sharffen Berger's chocolates, including these, have a slight minty taste that I could do without, unlike Lindt dark chocolates. I confess, I've never heard anyone else complain about this so maybe it's a peculiarity of my sense of taste. But typically what's minor to me is unbearable to other people. I'm not a super taster by any means. If you're looking for a good dark chocolate from Sharffen Berger, Sharffen Berger's San Juan De Cheni, limited edition bars are my personal favorite. They don't have that weird minty taste and are less bitter than the Lindt darks. They're probably the best dark chocolate that I've found. The De Cheni bars from Amazon seemed a bit weathered, though.

This is my favorite chocolate, bar none... wouldn't have it any other way!! I even have other family members wanting to share this one that were die hard dark chocolate fans... this truly is one of the best chocolates you will ever taste. I plan to use it for baking this Christmas!

This is good dark chocolate and does not contain gluten. I like it well enough to order again in the future.

I have tried every dark chocolate that I have come across for the last 10 years or so. I would guess around 70 different manufacturers and brands. The 70% Scharffen Berger is my hands down favorite. It is smooth, so smooth. The flavor is rich. It's the kind of chocolate that you want to let melt in your mouth. You want to savor it instead of plowing through it. It is wonderful. I promise, if you like dark chocolate, you'll love the "light blue" Scarffen Berger!