Fresco Artisan Chocolate
Chuao Venezuela 72% Blended Roast, Subtle Conche dark chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: (Part of a $57 chocolate tasting for 5 different bars)
Purchased from: Fresco Artisan Chocolate/Chocolopolis tasting, online order
Welcome to Day #1 in a series of five different single origin bars obtained from a New Origin Fresco Chocolate Tasting. (Thank you to Rob and Amy at Fresco Chocolate and Lauren Adler at Chocolopolis.com for the great remote tasting experience.)
Today's new Chuao Venezuela 72% (Batch 21-437) Blended Roast, Subtle Conche* (bar) was made by Fresco Chocolate (Lynden, WA) . The cacao used was from the Empresa Campesina de Chuao (workers co-op) in the remote and storied village of Chuao in northern Venezuela.
Subtle aroma notes (in order of appearance) for this chocolate included faint fruit, green (oxalis (sour grass, wood sorrel), succulent), warm spice, brown sugar and molasses. The texture and mouthfeel were satisfying and smooth.
The choice of blending more than one roast profile ("blended roast") seemed to expand the dynamic range/depth in the taste and gave it a bit more punch along with a barely there hint of roasted coffee and nut. Flavor notes included rich, sweet dark chocolate (dark chocolate pudding, chocolate torte), bread, cream, faint fruit and nut, and a sustained course of true dark chocolate (deep, dark chocolate torte). This dark chocolate had a balanced tart, sweet fruit acidity (red berry, cherry) that lingered into a chocolate-y finish.
This was a rich, flavorful and well-executed dark chocolate from a company that recently celebrated receipt of their 50th International award for their chocolate.
Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter
Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"
*Conching follows the initial cacao grinding process. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." The maker notes: "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors." (Yes, and thank you for allowing us to experience this in your chocolate line-up geared to educate even the most seasoned of chocolate palettes.)
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