Today I'm going to share my thoughts and impressions of the Vosges Creole bar. I've been waiting to try this for a while, saving it for a rainy day kind of thing. Well, I recently broke down and am finally ready to give up my review. According to the box we have espresso, nibs, chicory (as used in the coffee at the Café Du Monde in New Orleans), and 70% cacao Sao Thome chocolate. Sounds to me like a combination made in someplace too sinfully good to be heaven.

First off is the packaging. Vosges really know how to package a chocolate bar. Their packaging - with the mostly white box adorned with chocolate goodness - is absolutely beautiful. It catches the eye and makes you take a second look. As always the back of the box features their "How to Enjoy an Exotic Candy Bar" instructions which is a nice thing for those who are new to the high-end chocolate world. It's packaging really sets it apart from the crowd and I, for one, love it.

Moving on to the bar itself. Taking a whiff it has a strong smell to it. For some reason I can't pick any single aroma out of the smell, not even the Sao Thome chocolate (which I can spot by taste or smell most of the time). The espresso and chocolate combination is just very strong and distinct. It's a nice aroma, I just don't have the nose to dissect it.

The bar is, of course, well molded and has a great snap to it. No less than I'd expect. The taste is, just like the smell, very intense. And, just like the smell, it's kind of overwhelming and hard for me to differentiate the separate flavors. I can't tell how balanced it is because it's all so strong. Don't confuse overwhelming and intense with bad, though. I expect a bar with espresso to be overwhelming if anything and the fact that it's the entire thing that's overwhelming and not just the espresso is very nice. Beyond the taste the nibs add some nice crunch to the texture.

Now, as mystified as I was left by the bar I have to say that it didn't last long at all. I really enjoyed it a lot and couldn't get enough. At $6.00 it ain't cheap, but it is a tasty bar of chocolate and one that - given the right mood - I will try again. I suppose I should rate it at this point. I'll go with a 8.5 I think. It's darn good, but expensive.

One final note: 10% of the proceeds from the Creole bar will be donated to the American Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund.

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