As Aurosó Chocolate Launches, I Get A Sneak Peek

There's a new brand on the block, handmade in small batches in Oxfordshire, that blends the characterful flavour of Madagascan dark chocolate with familiar - and a selection of more unusual - flavours, creating a unique series of chocolate bars. That brand is Aurosó Chocolate, and they kindly sent me a delightful box of chocolates showcasing their entire launch range.

Aurosó Chocolate seeks to deliver high-end luxury reduced-sugar chocolate bars to the UK market with a focus on taste, aesthetics, and feel-good ethics.

There's an emphasis on creating a flavoursome reduced-sugar chocolate product. Catrin Burr, founder of Aurosó Chocolate, explained to me that this is achieved "by using the freshest and most amazing Madagascan chocolate which is naturally fruity." She added, "the flavours jump out as they aren't masked by the sugars."

Aesthetics is covered by the beautiful packaging (see below). Ethics comes in the form of high-quality ingredients Aurosó Chocolate uses. At its core is Madagascan chocolate, which supports the Raisetrade programme, designed to provide greater economic benefit for the country as the chocolate is taken from bean to couverture within Madagascar itself. That's more jobs, more money in the local economy, and more tax revenue for the country.

Packaging

My bundle of eight bars arrived beautifully wrapped in rich purple tissue paper and ribbon, oozing a wow factor right from the very start.

The eight bars - each weighing in at 45g - are all packaged in similar sleek, matte white rectangular boxes. The raised Aurosó logo shimmers in gold-foiled print, while a coloured band along the base of the box differentiates each flavour.

The elegant packaging doesn't stop there though. Each box opens like a book, revealing more information about each bar on the left hand panel. The right hand side lifts up to reveal more information about Aurosó Chocolate beneath a golden foil-wrapped bar of chocolate. It's a clever piece of packaging, and the result is beautiful too. Remember I said Aurosó Chocolate is aiming to deliver a high-end luxury chocolate experience? This packaging certainly fits that bill.

Better still, the sleek-yet-minimal packaging (the cardboard outer and the foil inner) is all easily recyclable, a decision that ties in nicely with Aurosó Chocolate's ethical values.

Aurosó Chocolate Launch Collection Reviews

There are eight bars in the initial launch range, each sharing the same 90% dark chocolate shell (made by blending 100% dark chocolate with 85% dark chocolate in-house).

Flavours vary from some safer, more familiar tastes like Coffee Macadamia, to options that are a little more surprising such as Lemon Coriander or Tahini Date.

Half the launch range is vegan-friendly chocolate. In terms of allergy information, the bars are made in a kitchen that handles nuts, fish, sesame seeds, eggs, dairy, soya, celery, and mustard. Recipes are free from preservatives and soy lecithin.

One of Aurosó Chocolate's aims is to create a naturally reduced-sugar chocolate bar without sacrificing taste. We're not talking "diet chocolate" here where you find all sorts of peculiar ingredients, some of which are unrecognisable. No, Aurosó Chocolate has cherry-picked just a handful of top quality ingredients, including nuts and fragrant essential oils, to create bold flavours to compensate for the low sugar content.

Each long bar is wrapped in a golden piece of foil. It's formed into a series of six segments, each with a lined texture on the top. The chocolate shell on the exterior of the bar is nice and thin, meaning you get a a lot of ganache - and flavour - in every bite. The segments split off easily with a clear and crisp snap.

Let's take a look at the flavours, shall we?

Coffee Macadamia

Aurosó Chocolate Coffee & Macadamia Nut bar ingredients:
Dark chocolate coating (55%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter), coffee and macadamia nut ganache filling (45%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, Madagascar cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cane sugar, macadamia nut butter, coconut butter, ground coffee beans). Dark chocolate cocoa solids: 85% minimum; dark chocolate cocoa solids: 100% minimum; milk chocolate cocoa solids: 80% minimum.

• Sugar content: 9.1% (4.1g in this bar).
• What they say: El Limon Guatemalan coffee sourced and roasted by Hasbean with lightly-toasted, stone-milled macadamias in an 80% Madagascan milk chocolate.
• What I say: Absolutely delicious! This bar exhibits a rich coffee aroma intertwined with a walnut-esque nuttiness. The coffee dominates proceedings, with a satisfying crunch to boot. This has a rich, robust flavour that is espresso-like in intensity. The flavour rounds off in the aftertaste, with a fruity cocoa undertone and a subtle nuttiness from the macadamias. Along with the Rose bar below, this was my overall favourite in this collection.

Hazelnut Truffle

Aurosó Chocolate Hazelnut & Black Truffle bar ingredients:
Hazelnut and black truffle ganache filling (51%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, Madagascar cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cane sugar, hazelnut butter, coconut butter, black truffle oil (olive oil, black truffle), dark chocolate coating (49%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter). Dark chocolate cocoa solids: 85% minimum; dark chocolate cocoa solids: 100% minimum; milk chocolate cocoa solids: 80% minimum.

• Sugar content: 8.9% (4g in this bar).
• What they say: Lightly-toasted and stone-milled hazelnuts blended with Croatian black truffle oil from Istria in an 80% Madagascan milk chocolate.
• What I say: This is a divisive flavour, in much the same way that Paul A. Young's famous Marmite truffle divides opinion. You'll either love or hate this bar, and for me, it was my least favourite in this collection. The truffle oil overpowers and dominates everything, from the initial aroma into the tasting and long into the aftertaste. It exudes a mushroom-like meatiness in the aroma, and hijacks the flavour right from the start. Curiously, I picked up an intense garlic flavour mid-way that then faded into the aftertaste. I lost all sight of any hazelnut in the taste. There was a slight bitterness from the chocolate but it was the savoury truffle flavour that lingered long into the aftertaste. This one is certainly unusual and edgy, and really only for the very brave!

Lemon Coriander (Vegan)

Aurosó Chocolate Lemon & Coriander bar ingredients:
lemon and coriander ganache filling (56%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, coconut butter, cashew milk chocolate (cane sugar, cocoa butter, cashew nuts, cocoa beans, sunflower lecithin), lemon oil (extra virgin olive oil, lemons), sea salt, black pepper, coriander leaf essential oil), dark chocolate coating (44%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter). Dark chocolate cocoa solids: 85% minimum; dark chocolate cocoa solids: 100% minimum; cashew milk chocolate cocoa solids: 40% minimum.

• Sugar content: 10.2% (4.6g in this bar).
• What they say: Italian Gargano lemon-infused Peranzana olive oil with leaf coriander and creamy coconut butter in an 80% Madagascan cashew milk chocolate.
• What I say: The initial aroma I get from this bar is that of coconut, punctuated with hints of coriander. On tasting, the bitter lemon dominates to begin with, before a rush of 'green' flavours of coriander comes in to take control of the citrus notes The aftertaste is a mix of the two flavours, with the coriander sitting more so at the forefront.

Pistachio Orange Cardamom

Aurosó Chocolate Pistachio, Orange & Cardamom bar ingredients:
Pistachio orange and cardamom ganache filling (54%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, Madagascar cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cane sugar, pistachio butter, coconut butter, Madagascar cocoa beans, orange oil (extra virgin olive oil, orange zest oil), orange essential oil, cardomom seeds, salt), dark chocolate coating (46%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter). Dark chocolate cocoa solids: 85% minimum; dark chocolate cocoa solids: 100% minimum; milk chocolate cocoa solids: 86% minimum.

• Sugar content: 8.4% (3.8g in this bar).
• What they say: Lightly-toasted stone-milled pistachios with Spanish orange-infused Arbequina olive oil and cardamom in an 86% Madagascan milk chocolate.
• What I say: Orange and pistachio lead in the aroma, with a burst of orange dominating the initial taste, with a nutty edge. This bar tastes noticeably creamy, although I struggled to identify the cardamom in the flavour. This citrus bar had a smooth, rounded finish and was considerably less bitter than I had anticipated.

Raspberry Fig Leaf (Vegan)

Aurosó Chocolate Raspberry & Fig bar ingredients:
Raspberry and fig leaf ganache filling (55%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, coconut butter, cashew milk chocolate (cane sugar, cocoa butter, cashew nuts, cocoa beans, sunflower lecithin), fig leaf oil (extra virgin olive oil, fig leaf), freeze-dried raspberry powder), dark chocolate coating (45%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter). Dark chocolate cocoa solids: 85% minimum; dark chocolate cocoa solids: 100% minimum; cashew milk chocolate cocoa solids: 40% minimum.

• Sugar content: 10.1% (4.5g in this bar).
• What they say: Raspberries (freeze-dried at their ripest) with creamy coconut butter and fig leaf-infused Arbequina olive oil in an 80% Madagascan cashew milk chocolate.
• What I say: As with the Lemon bar above, I picked up coconut in the initial aroma. Upon tasting, the zingy raspberry stood out but it was rather muted. I wanted it to be more tart and more pronounced like the other bold flavours in this line-up, but this one was quite delicate. I couldn't identify the fig leaf in the flavour either. The finish of the bar was bitter, steered by the high cocoa content chocolate and the qualities of the raspberries.

Rose Geranium (Vegan)

Aurosó Chocolate Rose & Geranium bar ingredients:
Rose and geranium ganache filling (52%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, coconut butter, cashew milk chocolate (cane sugar, cocoa butter, cashew nuts, cocoa beans, sunflower lecithin), rose oil, geranium oil), dark chocolate coating (48%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter). Dark chocolate cocoa solids: 85% minimum; dark chocolate cocoa solids: 100% minimum; cashew milk chocolate cocoa solids: 40% minimum.

• Sugar content: 10% (4.5g in this bar).
• What they say: Pure rose and geranium organic oils with lightly-toasted stone-milled cashew nuts in an 80% Madagascan cashew milk chocolate.
• What I say: Tied with the Coffee bar (above), the Rose and Geranium bar was my other stand-out favourite in this collection. The floral aroma was instantly recognisable and there's no mistaking this was rose-flavoured chocolate, albeit spiked with geranium. On tasting, the two flavours jostled with each other throughout, although it's the rose that leads from the start. The flavours were both punchy and fragrant enough to stand up against the bitterness of the chocolate, but never strayed into the realm of potpourri. The chocolate has a bitter finish and it's the geranium flavour that lingers longest. If you've been looking for an indulgent Turkish Delight flavoured chocolate with bold flavours and minimal sugars, this is it.

Strawberry Lemon

Aurosó Chocolate Strawberry & Lemon bar ingredients:
Strawberry and lemon ganache filling (59%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, Madagascar cocoa butter, whole milk powder, cane sugar, coconut butter, cashew nut butter, freeze-dried strawberry powder, lemon oil (extra virgin olive oil, lemons), salt, black pepper), dark chocolate coating (41%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter). Dark chocolate cocoa solids: 85% minimum; dark chocolate cocoa solids: 100% minimum; milk chocolate cocoa solids: 80% minimum.

• Sugar content: 10.8% (4.8g in this bar).
• What they say: Strawberries (freeze-dried at their ripest) with Italian Gargano lemon-infused Peranzana olive oil, with lightly-toasted stone-milled cashew nuts in an 80% Madagascan milk chocolate.
• What I say: This was another bar where the aroma of coconut emanated, albeit spiked with a nuttiness in this instance. Upon tasting, both the tart strawberry and lemon flavours jostled in the forefront. Hints of coconut and cashew also intermingled here, and the strawberry helped to add natural sweetness to the balance. In the aftertaste, the rich chocolate flavour lingered, punctuated with a hint of strawberry and roasted nuts at the end.

Tahini Date (Vegan)

Aurosó Chocolate Tahini & Date bar ingredients:
Tahini and date ganache filling (60%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, Tahini (sesame seeds), dried Delget Nour dates, coconut butter, sea salt), dark chocolate coating (40%) (Madagascar cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter). Dark chocolate cocoa solids: 85% minimum; dark chocolate cocoa solids: 100% minimum.

• Sugar content: 11.5% (5.2g in this bar).
• What they say: Tahini made with 100% Ethiopian Humera sesame seeds with organic Deglet Nour dates in a 100% Madagascan chocolate.
• What I say: The aroma of sesame seeds emanated from this bar, with hints of roasted nuts to boot. The sesame seeds lead in the tasting, which also deliver a pleasant crunchy texture. The flavour is punchy, and almost tastes like roasted peanuts. The dates are hardly noticeable throughout the flavour, instead adding a gently chewy texture and a little sweetness to the chocolate. The flavour of the dates makes an appearance right at the end of the bitter aftertaste as the nuttiness subsides.

Overall Verdict

Creating a range of high-end luxury reduced-sugar chocolate bars was Aurosó Chocolate's aim, and they've succeeded with this collection. The packaging is gorgeous, befitting of a luxury chocolate bar. This stylish collection wouldn't look out of place on the shelves of Harvey Nichols or Selfridges.

As for flavours, discovering the high cocoa content and the low sugar content for each bar got me concerned. If not crafted in the right way, you'd end up with an unpalatable bitter product. Aurosó Chocolate has used the cocoa's properties to create rich and indulgent bars packed full of flavour. Sure, some flavours are divisive (yes, truffle oil, I'm looking at you) and others such as the Raspberry bar could be pushed further, but on the whole, these bars are crafted with clear, robust, bold flavours. And, they are naturally balanced. At no point did I crave any extra sweetness. The flavours and the composition of the ganaches are cleverly designed to abate the need for additional sugars.

Overall, I really enjoyed this tasting flight through Aurosó Chocolate's launch collection, and wish Catrin and Aurosó all the best of luck. The chocolate really does speak for itself, and it's worth seeking out. Trust me, a piece of Coffee Macadamia is a great way to start any day!

Where to Buy

Aurosó Chocolate bars are available to purchase directly on their website at £7.50 each. A subscription service is also available starting from £15.75/month for a Bronze tier delivery of two bars per month. A gold tier delivery of eight bars per month is currently £44.95/month.

Which flavour - or flavours - would you choose from the new Aurosó Chocolate collection? Let me know in the comments below.

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