Monday, October 12, 2020

Wm. Chocolate - Nicaragua Tenor 85% Dark (bar) - Oct. 12, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Wm. Chocolate LLC
Nicaragua Tenor 85% Dark (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (57 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Nicaragua Theme Week.

Today's Nicaragua Tenor 85% Dark (bar) was crafted from bean-to-bar by William Marx at Wm. Chocolate LLC (Madison, WI). Marx produces great chocolate bars--treasure chests that deserve to be savored slowly. Consume these in a hurry, and you'll likely miss some grand virtues. Today's bar was no exception.

A wonderful, complex chocolate aroma wafted out as soon as I opened the outer packaging. And the chocolate inside broke with a well-tempered, hard snap (a sign of precision craftsmanship not often discussed in consumer forums).

And the choice to go with 85% cacao helped guarantee that this extra dark chocolate wasn't too sweet (thank you!).

The flavor included a balanced, light bitterness; deep roasted, dark chocolate; light wood and very faint aged/smoke notes; and a very subtle, natural green, fruit brightness. (Think Trinitario headed toward Forastero.)

This bar was made from a blend of cacao beans (2018 Harvest, Lot 263264) from Matagalpa (Nicaragua) that received a "special fermentation." And the chocolate was made without "soy, dairy, grain, nuts, refined sugar or animal products."

Ingredients: cacao beans, organic whole unrefined cane sugar, organic cacao butter.



Castronovo Chocolate - 70% Heirloom Cacao - Nicalizo, Nicaragua (bar) - Oct. 11, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Castronovo Chocolate
70% Heirloom Cacao - Nicalizo, Nicaragua (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.1 oz. (31 g.) / 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Nicaragua Theme Week.

Today's 70% Heirloom Cacao - Nicalizo, Nicaragua bar was from Castronovo Chocolate (Stuart, FL). This bar was part of the company's Signature Collection. 

The Nicalizo, Nicaragua cacao (Batch No. 890) was made with heirloom (likely Criollo) cacao known for its subtle flavors and complexity. Aroma included fruit notes (apricot, plum, cherry, and a tiny hint of green).

It had a sweet, pleasing cacao/true chocolate (brownie) aroma with a hint of fruit and a creamy melt and texture. 

Castronovo chocolate maker's notes read as follows: "...The chocolate has fruit flavors of plum, cherry with rich buttery notes of toasted toffee, a little spice of pink peppercorn, and a lovely roasted walnut long-lasting finish..." 

Ingredients: cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter.


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