Impact
A flash analysis of a chocolate maker can usually be gleaned from its White or 100% bars - if it dares to craft either (very few do both) - which can save the time of shot-gunning thru its entire line because these 2 formats bare one's naked ability. In this regard, Valrhona whips your little sister's childhood chocolate, the one who's now grown up as a secure strip-club professional.
Appearance 4.5 / 5
| Color: | lemon ivory |
| Surface: | baby's behind |
| Temper: | spit shine (nice wax polish for White) |
| Snap: | excellent; very literal; clean edge |
Aroma 8.2 / 10
smells it's color for some baby's breath action: lemon honey -> soft cacáo butter & light milk; all very clean w/ little of The VOG (Vanilla-Oak Giant)
Mouthfeel 12.8 / 15
| Texture: | by its medium hardness, probably of African origins |
| Melt: | built for comfort: sultry |
Flavor 44.6 / 50
sugar battles White Choc mousse cut by pronounced lemon -> VOG emerges… restrained by milk fats -> recapitulates on White Choc lemon mousse + adorable tiny peach blossom bud tickling from the back -> honey buzzes off slight chemical tone in the aft-shaft
Quality 16.2 / 20
The French proudly enjoy a rep for fussiness & this feels a little fabricated, but carefully so, as nice little tricks link up to vault it near the top of its class. Slightly over-sugared & that late-stage off-note possibly from a chemical(s) used to extract butter &/or lecithin. Overall, however, well-executed (especially the roast generating rich buttered chocolate tones) & judicious use of vanilla. Judging from the name, & more so the texture, probably sourced from Coté d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).