You don't ordinarily see a complicated graph and accompanying instructions on how to eat it when you unwrap a chocolate bar. But then, a 99 per cent cocoa bar is no ordinary chocolate bar.

The first thing you see when you unwrap part of a 99 per cent cocoa bar is a cautionary notice. "Important," it screams, "The chocolate you are about to have is a chocolate that has a very high cocoa content! To fully appreciate this exceptional chocolate, we invite you to follow our suggestions on tasting." If the intent is to intimidate, Lindt, the most well-known manufacturers of dark chocolates, succeed admirably.

In most cases anyway. But a confirmed dark-chocoholic only drools in anticipation on reading this and feverishly tears off the outer cardboard package. Inside is a golden wrapper with more instructions. And more warnings.

"This chocolate brings out all the force and richness of cocoa beans," it intones, before going on to suggest that you prime yourself, or rather your palate, by first adjusting to 70 per cent, and then 85 per cent cocoa. Been there done that, I think.

Geography matters!

Next? Lindt suggests you first take a small bite and let it melt on the tongue to savour the flavours. Now we're talking. Except there is a scary graph that follows which lists the various flavours you can expect and their intensities — bitter, acidic, astringent, fruity. Whew!

Chocolate these days is serious business, comparable to wine with all its attitude. Like wine, good chocolate has terroir, which means geography matters. So the true chocolate connoisseur will detect the hints of vanilla in cocoa beans from Madagascar, smoky or earthy undertones from West African beans and fruity or even flowery flavours in those from Central and South America. But many a fine chocolate is made of a blend of premium beans.

Lindt uses beans mainly from West Africa with a small proportion from South America - the exact blend is a closely guarded secret!

Not all chocolate is created equal. Milk chocolate can have anywhere from 25 to close to 50 per cent cocoa (although some American chocolates can have far less) and as the name suggests, milk, milk powder or condensed milk, along with sugar and emulsifiers.

Not comfort food

Dark chocolate, sometimes called bittersweet chocolate, contains a lot more cocoa, upwards of 60 per cent and much less sugar. If you're wondering how it is different from simply eating cocoa powder, the answer lies in the fat. Cocoa, or to be more precise, cocoa solids, include cocoa butter and cocoa cake. Cocoa powder is made from cocoa cake alone, while chocolate also contains cocoa butter. 

While the sweetness of milk chocolate has almost universal appeal, dark chocolate is not your everyday comfort food. Like wine, it is an acquired taste and needs a refined palate to truly appreciate its nuances.

So to get back to the 99% percent cocoa bar. The not-so-fine-print and the daunting graph and instructions past me, I finally take a bite and wait to be transported to chocolate heaven.

Heaven is bitter. And somewhat dusty, initially. But patience has its rewards and a few short moments later, as the chocolate melts, I can feel the myriad flavours of the cocoa beans coming through. There are the hints of acidity, lots of fruity notes, a whisper of sweetness, and finally, a creaminess that, once the experience is over, begs for an encore.