Cariaco Semi Sweet Chocolate 60.5%: Has a high percentage of cacao liquor and an ample percentage of cacao butter, giving it a smooth texture without compromising a strong robust cacao flavor. Its silky fluid texture is perfectly balanced to create a long lingering cacao taste. The name Cariaco comes from a gulf on the eastern coast of Venezuela where its notorious high nutrients allow cacao to flourish.
This premium chocolate has been manufactured using only the
famed Rio Caribe Cacao Bean from the north eastern region of Venezuela.
This area, traditionally known as Oriente, has been producing
this classic world-sought-after bean since the early days of the colony
in the mid-1600's. The concept of "Appellation d'origine contrôlée"
denomination of origin in use in the wine industry around the world,
together with the very high quality of the raw material with its
distinctive taste and aroma have been blended to produce this delicacy.
Single origin semisweet chocolate for a change here on this blog. This bar was given to me in a gift bag from the open house at Aroa Fine Chocolates, I attended a few weeks ago. A fine chocolatier and patisserie in Boston who exclusively work with El Rey chocolates.
About El Rey:
We
at Chocolates El Rey take personal pride in this
assertion because since our founding in 1929 we have utilized only this
premium grade, locally grown raw material in the formulation of all our
products. And we make, quite simply, the best chocolate in Venezuela.
Today , as our products cross new borders and serve new consumers, we
are confident that these will indeed establish a new and exciting
dimension of excellence in a market with well-defined standards in which
novelties are few and far between.
We’re a family business, one of the oldest chocolate manufacturers
in Venezuela – in fact, one of the oldest industrial concerns in the
country and we have built our reputation on basic principles of
uncompromising quality, team effort, constant technological innovation
and by earning the satisfaction of our customers.
All of us at Chocolates El Rey family
take great pleasure in introducing you to the very delicate but
intrinsic balance of flavor and aroma, as well as the subtle, lingering
delight of El Rey chocolate – The King of chocolate made with the King
of cacao.
You can see Rio Caribe, all the way to the top right of the first map. The second map is showing you the state of Sucre where Rio Caribe is located.
Cariaco - Rio Caribe 60.5%
Type: Semisweet, 60.5%
Bean Varietal: Trinitario
Ingredients: Rio Caribe liquor, refined sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural vanilla.
Sample Size: 80g or 2.8oz
Appearance: A little dusty and muted, maybe the
beginnings of sugar bloom. A softer deep brown color, simple,
monogrammed molding.
Score: 87
Snap: Lightly
subdued snap, but crisp with clean break lines.
Score: 91
Aroma:
Sweet, sugary, caramel-like, buttery, soft roasted cocoa, soft muted
fruits.
Score: 92
Taste: Fresh green tobacco leaves,
slight hints of smokiness, fruity, sweet, soft roasted cocoa.
Score: 94
Texture:
Soft, smooth, medium melt time.
Score: 93
This was a very soft
bar over all in flavor and in aroma. It had soft rounded edges, big
sweet, sugary and caramel-like nose and taste. I was surprised by the
fresh tobacco taste but still had a very mild smokiness to it. It added a
nice green brightness to the otherwise subdued and sugary bar. A nice,
soft roasted cocoa flavor rounds out the bar.
Final Score: 91.4
B+
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.