The Sweet Spot is a new weekly Bites feature where sugar addict Megan Seling reviews some of the best, worst and weirdest sweet treats sold here in Nashville. It will appear on the blog on Tuesdays.
What it is: Colts Chocolates Smoked Dark Chocolate Bars with smoked almonds and smoked jalapeño almonds
Where I found it: The Turnip Truck, $6.79
What it tastes like: With their fancied-up presentation, these smoky and spicy almond-covered dark chocolate bars seem like Nashville-based Colts Chocolates’ attempt to modernize their brand and compete with upscale chocolatiers like Olive and Sinclair. Even though Colts' website says the chocolate is “manly," and they point out that they designed the "pin-striped suit" box to be the same size as a "classic cigar box" ensuring it will “fit nicely in his shirt pocket," I with my woman-identifying ovaries thought these chocolate bars were delicious.
The dark chocolate is nice and creamy, and the roasted almonds pressed into the top of the bar hold the perfect amount of smokiness to complement, but not overpower, its richness. While it's entirely possible Colts has roasted and seasoned these almonds themselves, I agree with a co-worker's observation that "It tastes like somebody emptied a bag of Blue Diamond Almonds into a vat of chocolate." But that still sounds delicious to me.
Because I couldn't trust my own wimpy, spice-adverse tongue to fairly rate the jalapeño bar, I got my officemates to do the work for me. (I'm new around here. Turns out bringing candy to work is a great way to make friends.) The reviews were mixed. Some complained about the "dusty" texture of the almonds and thought the smoke flavor was out of place — "It seems like they're going for the chocolate-covered bacon effect, but it doesn't completely work" — but others gobbled up what little scraps I left them. Bites editor Dana Kopp Franklin especially liked the jalapeño bar — "I'm a big fan of almonds in chocolate bars and I like smoked almonds, but I think the jalapeño is even better because it leaves this burning sensation on my lips."
That burning sensation is no doubt why the "manly" box says: "Enjoy, but be careful. ... They should be for adults only." (Meaning you should tuck some away for the upcoming Trick-or-Treat season — those neighborhood brats won't know what hit 'em.)
