Impact
Appearance 4.8 / 5
| Color: | cashmere blonde |
| Surface: | unblemished |
| Temper: | Castelain’s customary matte |
| Snap: | new standard: unbelievably crisp & high for milk, partially due to mastery of molding area & thickness |
Aroma 8.2 / 10
densely sweet & savory; vanilla expertly tucks in as concentrated milk powder & caramel carry the weight; tad bees wax & minute cocoa-hazelnut
Mouthfeel 12.6 / 15
| Texture: | soft powder whips up to... |
| Melt: | ... butterlicious meltdown |
Flavor 42.8 / 50
what’s the story? strawberry morning glory engorged w/ bouncing caramel, closes up early...-> levels off straight butterscotch tread -> simple, well-roasted milk-chocolate -> steadily grows savory (subtle salted-hazelnuts) just as it tapers toward malted grains
Quality 17.9 / 20
Attenuates base materials, beginning with avg couverture, & over-delivers to maximum effect. 37% is mid-range for traditional milk chocolate, & much of the increase from the bottom range is comprised here of cacáo butter, producing a bar of shy & hushed chocolate relegated to the backbench from where it nonetheless influences the shape & progression via a firm roasted element toward savory undertones. Never cloys nor clabbers.