Best Chocolate in the World: Amedei Chuao
In the world of chocolate snobbery, few if any chocolates surpass the flavor of Amedei Chuao. Seventypercent.com rates it as the #1 chocolate in the world, and most anyone who’s tried it would agree. Like all of the world’s best chocolates, this one is grown in Venezuela. Specifically, it’s grown in the little village of Chuao which has been described as the perfect climate to grow the perfect chocolate. Amedei has exclusive rights to all chocolate grown in Chuao.
Sadly, Amedei Chuao is almost impossible to find. There’s not a lot of it made in the world, and it’s pretty expensive compared to most other quality dark chocolates ($12-$15 for a bar). I had never tried it myself…until recently. I visited a tiny chocolatier in Newburyport, and after eating a couple of their truffles, I nearly walked out before I noticed the Amedei logo on a shelf. Upon closer inspection, I saw little individually wrapped Chuao pieces lined up in a box like tiny dominos.
Stunned at the magnitude of my find, I gingerly took a wrapped piece of the blessed chocolate and carried it over to the cashier like holy communion. After paying ($0.90 for something the size of a single Hershey square), I took it outside, carefully unwrapped it, and took a bite.
It started very plainly. The chocolate had a nice texture, but the flavor didn’t appear until the third or fourth chew. Then suddenly fruit flavors burst from the chocolate with tastes of molasses and plum. The flavors were perfectly balanced, and there were no weird bitter flavors like those found in other quality dark chocolates.
Amedei Chuao is the best chocolate I have ever tried. Nothing compares. Nothing. Sadly, I am now permanently spoiled.
