Chocolate of the Day
One One Cacao
Clarendon 71% dark chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .35 oz. (10 g.) (estimate) in 1 sample bar
Calories: 55 calories (estimate) in 1 sample bar
Cost: N/A - Part of a six-bar tasting kit (A full-size bar was $10.00 USD.)
Purchased from: Happy Chocolate Experiences, Palo Alto, CA
Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Jamaica Theme Week.
Today's sample Clarendon 71% bar from One One Cacao (Kingston Parish, Jamaica) was the second of six sample bars from One One Cacao* (Kingston Parish, Jamaica).
Tasting these Jamaican chocolates was made possible by Sunita de Tourreil** at Happy Chocolate Experiences. (Kits with sample bars were sent out in advance to participants, before a video conference and tasting with the makers at One One Cacao.)
Sunita's shared, online tasting experience with Nick Davis and Marta at One One Cacao yielded some great information on how the company was built. Davis, an ex-BBC correspondent, also discussed how he's developed partnerships with farmers in the different growing areas (parishes) of Jamaica, and evolved their own tree-to-bar chocolate making process over time.
One clear take-away: flavors vary among regions within this island nation. This is the case in other cacao-growing countries as well where there are different topographies, micro-climates, soil types, and farming and fermentation methods. As such, collaboration between farmers and makers is often very important.
Clarendon 71% dark chocolate
The cacao used to make this 71% dark bar was from Clarendon Parish, located in south central Jamaica, west of Kingston.
Today's dark tasting square had subtle, complex and balanced aroma and flavor notes, including of molasses spice, faint dried fruit (rum raisins), gentle wood and naturally sweet fruity roast coffee notes.
The dark chocolate had a slightly dry, granular (faintly astringent) texture/melt. This was a subtle distraction that did little to interfere with the pleasure of tasting the relatively soft, nuanced flavors.
Maker's description: "Working alongside our partners at the Jamaica partners at the Jamaica Cocoa Farmers Association we source these beans in this central Parish of the island. Fermented up the wonderfully named Morgan's Valley area the chocolate has a wonderful summer fruit, cane rum, and all-spice flavour with hits of wood, carob, and coffee; a medium body, finely acidic/slightly tannic."
Ingredients: (Not listed on small sample bar packet)
Allergen-related information: (Not listed on small sample bar packet)
* The company name was inspired by an old Jamaican proverb: "One one cocoa, full basket" that conveys the notion that little by little, cocoa pods and beans fill baskets, baskets are filled, and goals can be met.
**Sunita de Tourreil founded The Chocolate Garage in Palo Alto, CA. Happy Chocolate Experiences provides windows into happy cacao--places, makers and (travel) destinations linked to learning about and enjoying wonderful bean-to-bar (sometimes tree-to-bar) chocolates.
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