Thursday, May 11, 2023

Kasama Chocolate - Odd Society Wallflower Gin & Juniper 70% (bar) - May 11, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
Odd Society Wallflower Gin and Juniper 70% Cacao (bar)
Good +
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 163 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA 

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

Today's Odd Society Wallflower Gin and Juniper 70% Cacao bar (Batch No. 11) was made by Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, B.C.).

This special release dark chocolate was made with cacao from Karkar Island, Papua New Guinea. 

The maker(s) went "all in" on infusing juniper flavor. The cacao was "aged in an oak cask for four weeks with Odd Society Distillery's Wallflower Gin, then (the cacao) was stone ground...with juniper berries."

Aroma notes for this 70% bar included: faint chocolate, citrusy evergreen; gin-soaked/pickled (small) cocktail onion (vinegar brine, black pepper, lemon); juniper berry; lemon/citrus jello; and an initial, very faint terpene/ammonia note that dissipated quickly after opening.

As is often the case with chocolate tasting, some aroma notes carried over to the flavor, and taking a bite yielded a much richer chocolate flavor (than was present in the aroma). 

The acidity was moderate, and the aroma notes mentioned above extended into the finish with a relatively bold, citrusy-evergreen taste (spruce/douglas fir tips, but not as delicate). 

A welcome flicker of blackberry at the end added some fruit and balance. (A little more of that luscious, ripe blackberry note please.)

The sweetness level was about right. It would be tough to go more sweet or less sweet with this unique juniper-flavored chocolate. Too sweet would mean losing touch with chocolate nuances, and might venture into cloyingly sweet cocktail territory. Too little, and the juniper might be a bit overwhelming.

Maker's tasting notes: "...aromas of fresh cut evergreens, and hints of orange blossom."

Ingredients: Gin Barrel Aged Cacao Nibs, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Juniper Berries (*Organic).

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that contains nuts."

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