Customer Reviews

Amedei Limited Edition Chuao Bar

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've had the privileges of traveling the world, living in Europe for three years, and being able to sample most any food I've had the desire to taste. Chocolate has always been one of my favorite foods.

That being said, this is simply the best chocolate I've ever had the privilege to sample. Dozens of subtle flavors dance across the tongue as each type of taste bud brings slight variations in this creamy smooth bittersweet confection. Best experienced by sharing with a friend, although I'm sure other pairings would work well too. Easily 5 stars for the chocolate, and the packaging is quite attractive.

However, there is more to the experience than simply the product. In this case, the single 50 gram bar of chocolate costs $12, but the price must include shipping (obviously) which bumps the price to a whopping $22. No significant options are given for shipping, and "expedited" means that it will take two weeks for the item to arrive. On the plus side, the chocolate did arrive with a small ice pack, but given that the current ambient temperatures were all well below freezing this seemed rather unnecessary. The item would have been received much faster, cheaper, and probably as in good of condition if it had been mailed via standard US postage. So, I deducted one star for service. I might have thought otherwise had I ordered the item in July; however in that case the single ice pack would not have been enough to survive a two week shipping time.

So, overall I highly recommend this chocolate. Given the cost of shipping, I recommend ordering a quantity sufficient to cover the costs. It only makes sense to order many, as once your friends and family discover you have this wonderful chocolate you'll need enough to share!

I live in Venezuela, where the worlds finest cacao beans are grown in a remote village that is only accesible through the sea. The cacao beans grown there are dried in front of the village church in a process the whole town participates in. Ironically, if Venezuelans want to taste their cacao beans turned into chocalate, they must buy it from the extremely high-end Italian chocolatier Amedei, as Amedei has the exclusive rights to all the production of the beans from Chuao, to the last bean. Therefore, when in Europe, I searched for the bars. Amazingly, you can find them easily in classy shops at 10 euros a bar at least. I finally found the gold medal winning Chuao one. I took it back to my hotel. Drank some Perier to wash out all flavor from my mouth. Sat comfortably, and mentally went over the ritual of tasting fine chocolates. I took the first piece, placed it whole on my tongue (you're not supposed to bite), pressed it against the palate and let it do it's magic. The richness, strength, and intense flavor impressed me from the start. As it melted evenly on my tongue, I felt the gnarl of chocalate's natural bitterness, but more woody, remiscent of Royal Salute scotch, but with a sweet smoothness that relaxed my mind. The impressive effect was the aftertaste. The taste of nutty bittersweet wood stayed on my tongue as if the chocolate was still there. Not until I drank more Perrier did it go away. A unique experience in chocolate tasting.

I do not recommend a Bud guzzlin' guy to spend money on high-end chocolate such as this one. You can, but you might end up saying that a good 'ol American Hershey bar is better. It's like fine art. If you know nothing about it, you won't fully appreciate it. I recommend it for people that like chocolate and have tried and enjoyed AT LEAST mid-range chocolates such as Lindt and Godiva, and especially if you've tried high-end type such as Cluizel, Scharffen Berger and Valrhona.

If you think that Hershey's Special Dark is amazing chocolate, please navigate away from this page now and don't look back. Your tongue is not prepared or worthy (as yet) for this chocolate. Save yourself the money and confusion that would be yours should you purchase this chocolate; this territory is off limits to the uninitiated and uneducated. You need to know enough to know *why* this is some of the best chocolate in the world. Suffice it to say that those that are ready for it know that they are ready for it. Are you?

So, Valrhona used to have a Chuao, and it was pretty good - Amedei now makes the superior Chuao bar (Valrhona no longer produces one; 2003 was the last year they did so, I believe - Bonnat makes a Chuao, but it isn't worth your time).

I haven't tasted this one in a while, so particulars are somewhat hazy - one thing that I do remember quite well is that the beautiful mouthfeel of this chocolate was intense while there was a sufficient quantity present in my mouth, but after I had swallowed the last of it, it quickly left my mouth feeling clean and fresh, as it would feel shortly after brushing my teeth; many chocolates seem to leave my mouth feeling sullied for a long period of time, but not this stuff. Of course, sometimes you *want* your palate to ring with the taste of a chocolate (especially ones that have a really long, complex finish) for a long time - this one simply excites your mouth and quickly moves on, like a flirtation with someone you will never see again; exciting while it lasted, but all it leaves you with is a good memory.

Simply put, Amadei produces the best chocolate in the world. It's not an opinion, as much as it's a restatement of the results of the past three World Chocolate Awards. Chuao is a lot different than the Porcelana variety. Both are amazing, with Porcelana being the pure chocolate flavor and Chuao having more hints of fruit in the flavor. Either way, each bar comes in ten squares. I couldn't imagine having more than one square at a sitting. I'd highly recommend either one of them.

Amedei by far makes the best chocolate in the world. I've had a few of their products and the quality is unsurpassed. I know some may think that the cost seems very high, but if you don't know chocolate, this is Not something you sit down and eat all at one time. You simply take one or 2 pieces at a time and savor it in your mouth. No, you don't just chomp down on good chocolate, Do wine experts gulp good wine, certainly not, they savor it. Their is no difference . If you are looking to try something Way above par, then look no further. The texture is smooth, and the taste is something you never forget. You will never go back to your basic bar after Amedei. I hope you take the chance and try it. If buying off the internet is a problem, try going to a local specialty chocolate shop in your area and see if they have it,or just let them order it for you. That way, if it ships incorrectly, they are liable, not you. Hope this helps with your decision.

I ordered Chocolate from Italy. Maybe this was the first mistake since it is Texas in the Summer. Anyway I took a chance because this is suppose to be the best chocolate in the world; according to another website. Anyway the chocolate arrived at my door when I was not there.
So fedex in all its wisdom drove around with it all day and tried again when I was not there. I had to go to the fed ex office and pick it up.
When I opened the box of course the chocolate was soup and the remains of a soggy single ice pack. What does this say about this company?
They ship from Italy with one tiny ice pack; not even dry ice.
Also they said it was my fault that I was not home when Fed ex tried to deliver the package. So I am out $75 and nothing to show for it.
Please send a message to this company that their chocolate is not all it is cracked up to be.