Manjari saves the day, Lindt disappoints

So after some disappointment brought about by my Guanaja kilo, a bar of Manjari the following day restored some of my faith in Valrhona. Fruity and light and full flavoured, this was a real treat and shows how good Valrhona can be at their best. Still, this is again in contrast to reports over the last year of very ‘flat’ Manjari couverture. So flat, in fact, that I’ve heard of some chocolatiers dropping it in favour of others from the Valrhona Cru range. I’ve not yet had a bad bar of Manjari though – are Valrhona perhaps saving the best for retail? Watch this space for answers.

I’ve never thought of Lindt as an outstanding chocolate, not the UK recipe anyway. But it’s always been on my ‘emergency list’ -  chocolate I’d choose if nothing else was available. We were trying a bar at an Academy meeting last night though, and it was pure ash. Over-roast – burnt indeed, well conched ash. Not at all pleasant!

Lindt need to improve this quickly if they are to maintain any kind of position in the market – there are so many good, and mediocre, bars out there now that a company just can’t rest on its branding forever. People will find you out.