Travel to the hipster capital of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York, and you'll find the headquarters of Rick and Michael Mast's chocolate company. Mast Brothers dates back to 2007 and the company briefly had an operation in London's trendy Shoreditch between 2014 and 2018.
I clocked this bar of 73% Dark Chocolate on the shelves of London's Harvey Nichols and, despite the high price tag, I knew I needed to review it on my chocolate blog.
Packaging
The brown and black animal print pattern packaging on this Mast Brothers bar was vastly minimal. The text on this 70g chocolate bar was as simple as can be, with only the product name and weight documented on the front.
In keeping with its minimalist design on the front, hardly any information appeared on the rear of the packaging either, thanks, in part, to the two-ingredient recipe.
Mast Brothers 73% Dark Chocolate ingredients:
73% cacao, cane sugar.
UPDATE: Since writing this review, I discovered that both the cacao and cane sugar in the recipe are now listed in the ingredients list as 'organic'.
Beneath the thick craft paper wrapper was a thin sheath of gold foiled paper, that surrounded the chocolate bar.
Mast Brothers 73% Dark Chocolate Review
As I peeled back the foiled paper, I was greeted by an intense, almost over-roasted, smokiness. It was a very dark, flat aroma, with hints of wood and tobacco.
The bar had a glossy sheen but was littered with scuff marks, especially along the edges. It followed a traditional layout, with 28 segments etched into it. A clean and crisp snap was music to my ears, and I expected no less from this two-ingredient bar.
What was a surprise, however, was the rush of sweetness as the first characteristic to come through when tasting. Letting it melt slowly on my tongue, it took a while for the flavour to reveal itself and develop. When it eventually did, earthy, almost leathery notes crept through. Mid-way, a bitterness took hold as a hint of smokiness was revealed. That bitterness led the way into the finish and aftertaste, with a sweet darkness that lingered for a while afterwards.
This bar had quite a curious taste, with a smokey aroma that didn't materialise as intensely in the flavour, and a bitterness that dominated proceedings. Personally, it felt a bit flat and I wanted it to crank up the other notes to drown out some of the bitterness. Given the price tag, I expected more, both in terms of taste and appearance.
The Mast Brothers 73% Dark Chocolate is quite difficult to get hold of in the UK at the moment. I cannot see it on Harvey Nichols' website but found limited stocks listed on Amazon here°.
Mast Brothers 73% Dark Chocolate Review
RRP: £6.00 | Mast Brothers | Shop now
Smokey notes lead in the aroma of the this two-ingredient 73% dark chocolate bar, but dark bitter notes dominate the taste when the bar finally reveals its flavour. A slow melt and a reserved, muted flavour made for a disappointing tasting experience.
Have you tried Mast Brothers chocolate bars? Do you have a favourite? Let me know in the comments below.
