Talamanca Totonac 75%

A look at another elusive, authentic micro-batch chocolate, and again bearing the Costa Rican origin. The other chocolate I am referring to is The Beach Chocolate Factory's

The 75% cacao comes from Finca La Isla estate in Playa Negr, this estate belonging to Talamanca themselves. The ingredients for the Totonac bar was as follows: cacao, organic sugar, vanilla. The name 'Totonac' is after the Totonac people being the first producers of vanilla

The aroma was vanilla, little orange, but simply a vanilla-infested dark chocolate. Vanilla is ubiquitous in mainstream and cheap chocolate, however pure vanilla is an aroma so charismatic, and the vanilla in this chocolate was just that

A hard snap. The taste was classic hot chocolate, Mulino Bianco chocolate biscuits, potent vanilla, and overall quite uplighting (I feel the brightness came from the fresh vanilla). It wasn't incredibly rich, but that's okay. The finish was an assortment of biscuits

Marou Dong Nai 72%

Marou make their chocolate with only Vietnamese cocoa beans, cane sugar and cocoa butter, apart from their limited edition bar which had a cashew praline in the middle layer. This Dong Nai 72% was of cacao produced at Marou's own fermentation and drying station in Dong Nai, Marou say that this makes it "a very rare 'pod-to-bar' chocolate"

The aroma straight away had a roasted timbre to it, with grapefruit, clove and little metallic undertones

The taste was very roasted (thoughts of burning toast), bitterness transitioned into a lightness of creamy coconut, hazelnut, chilli, followed by Vietnamese characteristics I lovingly recognised (acidity and spice)

The melt wasn't as silky smooth as Marou often is, it felt more waxy. The butteriness in taste and texture gave a calming feel, however I am more about louder, more expressive chocolate. Overall a good chocolate, not my favourite of Marou's but still good

The Beach Chocolate Factory 70% with Nibs

An unknown chocolate maker to most, including myself, I only happened to stumble across them when on Chocolatiers.co.uk. The Beach Chocolate Factory are the first bean to bar maker in Guanacaste, Costa Rica

The cacao within comes from the Tenorio region of Costa Rica and the chocolate is made with simply cocoa beans and organic sugar (my favourite chocolate recipe). Due to how elusive and secretive this chocolate is, because of the small batches its made in, Chocolatiers call it "a connoisseur's chocolate" - so I had to have it

An aroma of candied orange peel and metallic rawness. A hard snap, smooth melt. The taste was candied orange peel and bittersweet marmalade on burnt toast with a coffee to go

The nibs were very crunchy and packed so much good flavour

I hoped for an authentic chocolate experience and I had not been disappointed. The unique mould makes for a difficult break, but the thickness distinguishes itself from American, British, European etc. craft chocolate, making it that little bit more authentic

It is always a wonderful experience trying chocolate crafted in cacao-growing countries 

Q Chocolate 60% and 65%

Q Chocolate is Brazilian chocolate of the Aquim family, made with cacao from a single Brazilian farm, Fazenda Leolinda. The cacao is said to be "personally selected" by the Aquim family 

I first heard of Q late October, when I met one of the founders, meaning I had to shamefully say that I had never heard of it before 

The 60% had a smoking rubber tyre aroma and taste, with the taste leading to some red berry acidity. The texture was slightly crumbly. Taste-wise I was completely surprised. I didn't so much like the rubber smokiness, but the fruity acidity later was a great counterbalance

^65%

The 65% tasted massively different, it was bubblegum. It reminded me of a Zotter Labooko bar I've had. The snap and bite was brittle and the melt and mouth texture was glossy like bubblegum

Overall, I didn't understand as to why and how these two chocolates were so different, and if there is a logical reason for it I would have loved to have known! (was it intentional? e.g different roasts, conches, then it should be specified on packaging - maybe in the form of flavour profiles)

However, the taste of the 60% had something quite compelling, much like Omnom's Papua New Guinea. At first I don't like it, but with its bright acidity - the contrasting flavours makes me enjoy it

Askinosie Davao 52% Dark Milk Chocolate + Fleur de Sel

I've had the original Davao by Askinosie at a 77%, a good chocolate. This chocolate has the Philippine cacao, milk and salt. The milk within is goats', so I found it unusual that this was not mentioned on the front

  

The aroma was Askinosie, it had that distinct Askinosie feel to it: quite light and sweet. This Askinosie-ness was also in taste

The flavour started as McVitie's digestives, the dark chocolate and caramel ones. Nearing the finish came the salt, and boooooom soft, full fat GOATS CHEESE. Thankfully, the goats milk smoothed over to create a creamier taste ... and the 'Askinosie' flavour was restored

This chocolate reminds me of when I bought goats milk assuming great taste because it was more expensive than cows. It made it taste like I took a generous slice of goats cheese with my morning oats and coffees. Goats cheese can be really good, but as for a milk in chocolate, the acquired taste was lost on me