Akesson's Madagascar Criollo 100% Dark Chocolate

Weight: 60 g

$14.00

Sale Sold out

Reasons to love:

Akesson's 100% Madagascar is their second most popular 100% chocolate, (Pralus Le 100% being first).

You see 100% and you might expect something very bitter, but here they have a tart creamy bar that is no doubt intensely strong. It has a very expressive cocoa aroma with subtle fruity-sweet tartness and pleasant flavor notes that evoke citrus and red berries.

Maker
Akesson's
Country
France
Cacao Origin
Sambirano Valley

Awards

INGREDIENTS & ALLERGENS

Ingredients: 100% organic cocoa: organic cocoa beans, organic cocoa butter.

May contain traces of milk, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy.

Attention CA Residents: Prop 65 Warning

SHIPPING & GIFT OPTIONS

📬Free US shipping on $89+ Orders or $9 Flat Rate. Faster options at checkout.

🌞 Warm weather? Add Our No Melt Guarantee for $5 extra protection.

🌍 International: Canada: $18 (USD) Flat Rate $150+ (USD) Orders
Other Countries: Rates calculated at checkout.

🎁 Add a Gift Message (free) or a Gift Box ($6) from the side cart. Corporate gifting? Contact us and let us know how we can help.

📅 Prefer it later? Pick a "Future Ship Date" in your cart options for up to 6 weeks ahead.

View full details

REAL CHOCOLATE
True chocolate has rich, nuanced flavors. Like wine it can change with cacao bean variety and where it's grown
ETHICALLY SOURCED
Our chocolate makers source cacao at high standards beyond Fair Trade, and produce responsibly.
A CURATED SELECTION
A diverse selection sourced from the top 2% of all chocolate in the world.
25,000+ HAPPY CUSTOMERS
Once you try real chocolate, nothing else compares.

Also From the Same Region

Maker

Akesson's

Akesson's founded by Bertil Akesson is largely responsible for some of the super fine cacao we see coming from Madagascar. Bertil manages several estates in the Sambirano Valley, and also has a few plantations in Indonesia and Brazil. Bertil is one of the pioneers of the bean to bar chocolate movement, and produces a line of single origin and inclusion bars using the spices that also grow on his plantations. Akesson's focuses on high quality cocoa while maintaining sustainable practices. Not only has Akesson's won many awards, other chocolate makers have also won awards for their bars with Akesson's cacao.

Cacao Region

Sambirano Valley, Madagascar

Perhaps the most famous growing region in the world, northern Madagascar's Sambirano Valley is known for its incredibly fruity cacao and aromatic herbs & spices. Over the past few decades three main plantations have popped up in the area to supply cacao to chocolate makers around the world, as well as some of the world's most valuable botanicals, namely vanilla, ylang-ylang, and essential oil extracts.

Cacao Estate

Akesson Estate

Perhaps one of the most famous origins in the world, Akesson’s Estate consists of several individual farms in northwestern Madagascar’s Sambirano Valley. The most prolific of these is certainly Bejofo Estate, which alone produces around 300 tons of cocoa each year. Over the last decade, Malagasy cacao (cacao grown on Madagascar) has earned a reputation for fruity, almost juicy cacao beans, which transform into some of the most unique chocolate in the world. All of the cacao grown on Akesson Estate is organic-certified.

@cacao.crazy

I have met my match--Akesson's 100% Criollo bar 💥👅

This was surpisingly light for a 100%, looked like many 70s I have enjoyed. The smell was subtle and beautiful, with notes of lemon zest and fresh tart raspberries. However, once you put a piece on your tongue, the astringency will stun you in one punch 👊😯

The subtle aromas become powerful, like you bit directly into a lemon rind coated in cocoa powder. Sour citrus and cocoa bitterness combine into something unstoppable, but I have a plan to enjoy this. This week I intend to make delicious Brigaderios truffles with this bar to see if added sweetness highlights the notes better with less overwhelming astringency.

Excellent texture, nice mix of flavors

This bar has one of the best textures I have experienced so far. It is ground a bit on the fine side with no noticeable grittiness, it gives a somewhat dense coating on your tongue yet still feels very smooth. The melt is extremely satisfying.

Flavor wise, I would say this bar is definitely a sensory experience, yet there isn't a single distinct strong flavor, which is perhaps why many describe it as mellow or mild. There is a slight astringency yet sweetness, and noticeable tanginess which gets more noticeable if you chew it or work it with your tongue. You can feel some hits of roasted nuts and citrus, and if you chew it there is sort of an acidic savory flavor (cheesy) that is common to Criollo beans.

Overall, I think this bar is really great value and a great 100% Criollo bar. Definitely also recommended to introduce people to 100% bars.

a MUST try!!!!!!!

You just think you don’t like 100% chocolate. Taste this and you will change your mind. They way it melts in your mouth is, well, it’s just sexy!

Is This Really 100%?

If you want to try your first 100% bar, try this one. Another reviewer calls this mellow, and that’s exactly what it is. The first time I tried it, I couldn’t believe it had no sugar in it. It’s smooth, mellow. The notes mention citrus and red berries, but your palate won’t be assaulted by sharpness; those truly are subtle hints. Considering how exquisite this bar is, it’s a great value.

Great quality

Excellent chocolate: flavor and texture

1 2 3

Country/region

Akesson's Madagascar Criollo 100% Dark Chocolate