Hotel Chocolat Rabot 1745 Venezuela Chuao 70%

The eponymous cacao of Chuao is amongst the rare. Defined by its geographical location, around 20 tonnes of pure Chuao is annually cropped by the village's cooperative farmers. The beans are then fermented and dried in front of the village church. "Chuao" isn't so much the in-thing like it once was, but it still is one of the purer cocoas you will find

The aroma was quite muffled. There was chilli spice, bark, something sour and acidic (which was gherkin), tobacco and almond. It was like a hybrid between Hotel Chocolat's Java milk and Madécasse's 80%

The taste was savoury-sour, really unusual. It was heavy gherkin then with a sweet juniper (gin). It had an incredibly strong roast, and also malt vinegar with a malted finish

This Chuao was all fermentation and roast, but I was not impressed. When compared to all the raving reviews of Chuao chocolate, I just didn't think Hotel Chocolat had done this Venezuelan cacao justice. However, when I had expressed this opinion, in agreement, I was told that Chuao for a few years now has been "bland" and "uninteresting"