Thursday, August 25, 2022

O'ahu Island Waimanalo 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 25, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Manoa Chocolate
O'ahu Island Waimanalo 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Manoa Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week.

Today's O'ahu Island Waimanalo 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Manoa Chocolate (Kailua, O'ahu, HI). 

The cacao beans used to make this bar were grown on the makers' farm on O'ahu--making this not just single origin, bean-to-bar chocolate, but also single island, tree-to-bar chocolate from Hawaii. It was exciting to taste this. It's quite an accomplishment for those few makers in the U.S. (almost all in Hawaii) who have the work ethic, desire and know-how to pull this off.

Aroma notes included: green (maple), fermentation (fermented, bright fruit - grapes, goji berries, faint pineapple and even fainter sweet tangerine), followed by sweet green dark chocolate again.

The flavor notes resembled the aroma notes listed above. In addition, there were lots of rich, smooth chocolate notes (fudge brownie), more bright, naturally sweet and nuanced layers of fruit, and faintly green/maple, sweet earth notes.

Manoa maker's description: "Waimanalo is a small town just 15 minutes from our Kailua based factory. It is home to our very own cacao farm, a parcel with about 130 mature cacao trees. In 2021 we had three bountiful harvests from this orchard, providing us with enough cacao to make the first Single Origin Waimanalo Bar -- grown and made by us!"

Manoa suggested beverage pairings: Wine: Dry Rose; Beer: Berry Lambics; Liquor: Gin

Ingredients: Cacao, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter 

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that processes milk powder and nuts."


Manoa Chocolate - Goat Milk 69% Dark Milk Chocolate - Aug. 24, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Manoa Chocolate
Goat Milk 69% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Manoa Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week.

Today's Goat Milk 69% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) was from Manoa Chocolate (Kailua, O'ahu, HI). 

The initial (just-opened) aroma for this bar was relatively strong with some goat (lightly gamey, waxy, milky) and dark milk chocolate notes. 

For more sensitive palettes, I recommend letting this creamy, buttery chocolate "breathe" a little after unsealing the inner wrapper. (The aroma settled down, mellowing very nicely after about 30 minutes.) 

The texture was luxurious and lovely, and the chocolate flavor had some depth with fun, fleeting fruit notes (some berry, some yellow stone fruit, some tropical), lush true chocolate (brownie, dark ganache) and very faint earth.

What a fun and special bar to try. It was a whisker under 70% cacao, but not too sweet. Thank you Manoa!

Manoa maker's description: "This bar has a unique flavor that reminds us of a dark chocolate cheesecake. With only 20% sugar and 11% goat milk powder, it has both the characteristics of a bold dark chocolate and the rich creaminess of a milk chocolate."

Manoa suggested beverage pairings: Wine: Sauvignon Blanc; Beer: Nitro Stout; Liquor: Rye Whiskey.

Ingredients: Cacao, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter and goat milk powder.

Allergen-related information: Contains milk. "Made in a facility that processes milk powder and nuts."


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