Duffy's
Venezuela Ocumare 55% (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.11 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 181.2 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.50 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order
Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Venezuela Theme Week.
Today's Venezuela Ocumare 55% (bar) was made by Duffy's* Chocolate (in Cleethorpes, England).
The man behind the company name is Gerald "Duffy" Sheardown (a former motorsport(s) engineer/mechanic and team manager who shifted to making bean-to-bar chocolate and engaging in direct trade with cacao farmers in far-off lands closer to the Equator).
This bar was made with fine (Criollo variety) cacao from the Ocumare region (valley) in Venezuela. (U.S.-based Bar and Cocoa notes: "Ocumare refers to a village, a region and a cacao blend.")
The aroma for this Venezuela cacao bar leaned toward dessert notes and included (in order of appearance) creamy milk chocolate, sweet caramel and chocolate ice cream.
The chocolate's texture was smooth and creamy, with a very slight (fruit) astringency.
The flavor was sweet milk chocolate--with caramel and cake notes extending into the finish.
Duffy's tasting notes: "A velvet-smooth mix of almonds, bananas and raspberry jam."
Ingredients: Cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter and whole milk powder.
Allergy-related information: Contains milk powder; soya free; gluten free.
*Duffy's is also known as Red Star Chocolate Ltd