This Royce’ Pure Chocolate Mild Bitter & Extra Bitter was the company’s ‘bitterest set of chocolate’ at 80-90% cacao content.
Each box contained 20 pieces of mild bitter (80% cacao content) and 20 pieces of extra bitter (90% cacao content). Each piece was about 3 cm in diameter and 0.5 cm in thickness.
Mild Bitter. This variant carried the customary dark chocolate fragrance. Upon tasting, the chocolate exhibited a luxurious melting quality on the palate, offering a velvety, silky creaminess. Its flavour was notably intense, carrying a slight undercurrent of sweetness that artfully balanced the inherent bitterness of the dark chocolate.
Extra Bitter. As anticipated, the dark chocolate fragrance was notably more pronounced. Upon tasting, the absence of immediate sweetness was expected due to the higher cacao content, leading to a slower melting process on the palate. Thus, thorough chewing was necessary to break down the chocolate into smaller fragments before it gradually transformed into the same velvety, smooth texture characteristic of the Mild Bitter. Subsequent to melting, the chocolate’s inherent fruitiness emerged, contributing a subtle touch of sweetness and a harmonizing acidity that effectively balanced the pronounced bitterness. This progression revealed a profound chocolate flavour marked by a pronounced yet manageable bitterness.
In conclusion, these chocolates unquestionably upheld their premium status, excelling far beyond the realm of ‘premium’ 90% cacao chocolates from the United States. The Mild Bitter’s slight infusion of sweetness rendered it more accessible than the Extra Bitter counterpart.
This Royce’ Pure Chocolate Mild Bitter & Extra Bitter contained 200 g (mild bitter x 20 pieces, extra bitter x 20 pieces). It was produced in Japan and received as a gift from acquaintances visiting Japan in 2023.