The definitive Madagascar. Amedei has truly found the perfect point in this often-difficult chocolate, producing one at once characteristic and balanced. Supremely delicate and revealing all the Madagascan notes, this is a breathtaking chocolate and illustrates what the hype is all about in the sudden surge of interest in the chocolate of this country.
Reviews
Alex Rast: 29-Oct-2005
| SCORES | Score/10 | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Aroma: | 8.5 | 10% |
| Look/snap: | 9 | 5% |
| Taste: | 9 | 35% |
| Melt: | 8.5 | 5% |
| Length: | 9 | 15% |
| Opinion: | 9.5 | 30% |
| Total/100: | 90.75 | 100% |
| INFO | |
|---|---|
| Best before: | |
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Amedei, generally the company with the best possible packaging, in this case delivers all their varietals in one of the worst possible formats – unwieldy 5 g squares, and compounding the errors, boxes them into assortments of squares, which, furthermore, doesn’t have enough of each varietal for a proper sampling. So you end up having to get multiple boxes of every varietal. Annoying.
It’s a shame, too, for in their varietals Amedei does much of their best work. Madagascar already looks stunning out of the wrapper, even if with the small square size it’s difficult to make out any potential imperfections. Like most Madagascans, this chocolate is very light in colour, and at first glance one might think it were a dark milk. Aroma, meanwhile, is instantly characteristic, with a predominant citrus note, accented with floral wafts. It’s delicate and light, an obvious prelude to a feminine chocolate.
The flavour is exquisitely delicate, starting with a brief woody sensation, before proceeding to a floral and vanilla tone. Then the body flavour sets in – almond. It’s continuous and unmistakeable, soft and soothing. Some suggestions of melon linger about for a refreshing contrast. All the flavours are subtle, calm ones that deliver grace and refinement, and there’s never a hint of anything aggressive that might ruin the impression. Madagascar is truly a beautiful young virgin bride in her wedding dress.
The texture is very smooth, above-average and super-creamy. With a chocolate this subtle, it’s maybe a bit of a letdown – Amedei’s style doesn’t value ultimate smoothness and one can’t help but feel like a company such as Hachez or Cluizel could have improved upon the texture. However, it’s impossible to argue with that taste, and where many of the masters – Cluizel, Valrhona, Domori – have delivered flawed works, Amedei shows a work of genius.
