Marks & Spencer 60% Peruvian Dark Chocolate

Here’s a new twist on ‘ethical’ chocolate production. This bar is not only Fairtrade certified, but it is also Carbon Neutral, which means that M&S have planted trees in the area to offset the CO₂ generated in the production of this chocolate.

The chocolate is produced by 1800 or so growers as part of the ACOPAGRO cooperative in Peru’s Alto Huayabamba region. Good credentials to be sure, but how does the end product measure up?

The taste description on the wrapper says ‘Delicious and full bodied with fruity red berry notes’, and that’s fairly accurate. The chocolate melts quite quickly, and those tangy, mildly acidic fruit notes are there almost immediately, backed up with a darker, richer set of flavours that creep in slowly.

At 60% cacao this isn’t a really ‘dark’ dark chocolate, but neither is it one of those ‘semi-sweet’ creations that often inhabit the 50-65% region. This is light on the palette with good acidity, those red berry and fruit notes and some excellent cacao flavours, with a long, clean finish. The relatively modest cacao percentage means there’s a reasonable amount of (Fairtrade) cane sugar in there, lending the bar a rich sweetness to accompany the cacao. When I checked the ingredients I was pleasantly surprised to see that this is a 100% Fairtrade bar with only three listed ingredients, making it one of the ‘purest’ supermarket bars I’ve seen in quite a while.

It’s also rather moreish, especially mid afternoon with a cup of coffee. That mouthwatering acidity coupled with the light, fruitiness of the cacao means it’s far too easy to keep munching chunk after chunk. Definitely one of my better supermarket picks, and one I’d recommend if you happen across it.

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