Ritual – Sambirano, Madagascar 75%

About the bar

A stand out Madagascan bar from Utah-based Ritual. The first thing to note is the texture; Ritual have crafted a bar that melts smoothly without being overly buttery. The chocolate is at the acidic end of the Madagascan scale. An initial citrus hit is followed up by layers of lemon sherbet and a few very sharp berries. As the flavour deepens an additional sweetness comes through. Towards the end, richer roasted notes reveal themselves. We detected surprisingly chocolatey flavours that mix well with the fruit, giving the bar an addictive and decadent quality. The bar has a long sweet finish with a well-balanced acidity.

Ritual’s approach to chocolate is simple. It uses the simplest ingredients (cocoa beans and organic sugar) ethically sourced from around the world. The result is delicious and authentic chocolate that showcases the incredible flavours of the cocoa bean.

About the maker

From making chocolate in their apartment to running a chocolate factory and chocolate-cafe, Anna Davies and Robbie Stout have transformed Ritual into one of the best known craft chocolate makers in the US. The pair met around the same time they were discovering the delights of small-batch, fine chocolate, and are motivated by “improving quality of life through chocolate” – from serving the cacao growers to the chocolate lovers.

The beans

The bar uses beans from Bertil Akesson’s Somia Plantation in the Sambirano Valley.

Allergens*

May contain cereals containing gluten, may contain peanuts, may contain nuts

Ingredients

Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, cacao butter

*Allergen advice: We directly import, and purchase, all products from independent makers and have these shipped by our partner warehouse (which is not certified allergen-free), and so we cannot guarantee that any product will be allergen-free. Even where an allergen is not listed, products may have been produced, shipped, or stored in facilities which handle allergens.

If you would like further information about a specific product, please contact us on [email protected] or contact the maker directly.