This Whittaker’s Destinations Madagascan Sambirano Extra Dark Chocolate is an 82% Madagascan extra dark chocolate made from a mix of Sambirano Valley beans. It’s described as being ‘rich, smooth and creamy’.

As the chocolate melts intense notes of cocoa emerge with a pronounced bitterness before a marked acidity came through in the body and developed with a surprising fruitiness sweetness that recalled raspberries initially and finally apricot in the finish. The rich darkness of the chocolate remains evident throughout the bite, even as the fruitiness came through, as a slight astringency that lingered long on the palate. The full-bodied flavour surprises in the initial bite, but so does the creamy smoothness of such dark chocolate which has us coming back for subsequent bites that leave room to appreciate the complexity of the fruity notes.

This Whittaker’s Destinations Madagascan Sambirano Extra Dark Chocolate contained 100 g. It was produced in New Zealand and received as a gift from relatives visiting New Zealand.