Hogarth Chocolate Makers
Ecuador Hacienda Victoria Single Estate 85% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.)/ 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 205.8 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order
Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.
Today's Ecuador Single Estate 85% (bar) was made by Hogarth Chocolate Makers (Nelson, New Zealand). This was one of two Hogarth Ecuador bars enjoyed this week. (See tomorrow's entry for the Hogarth 100% bar).
The Arriba Nacional (variety of cacao) beans used to make this chocolate were from Hacienda Victoria, a single estate farm established in 2011 in (Cerecita, Guayas) Ecuador, not far from the coast (Pacific Ocean).*
Aroma notes for this "intense dark chocolate" made with Arriba (Nacional) cacao included: slightly bitter dark chocolate (think dark porter/stout if you're a beer drinker); very faint green; molasses; coffee; wood (very faint cedar); barely there green/dried banana; faint, fleeting balanced earth (peat); and very faint sourdough bread...And that was just the aroma.
This well-tempered bar broke with a hard snap in a cool room. It was relatively smooth and creamy, and I was waiting for some astringency, but it never really happened.
This 85%er had all the flavor, but none of the flinch (at least for ultra-dark fans like me).
Flavor notes included: deep rich, well integrated, ultra-dark chocolate flavor(s), with much less sour and bitter aspects than expected. There was a bit of fruit (citrus, tropical, cacao fruit pulp) sweet-tartness, but it was balanced and subtle. For those who love bold, balanced taste, this was a great ultra-dark bar.
Maker's comments: "...you can expect a smooth but strong cocoa with a hint of citrus."
Ingredients: "Cocoa Solids 85% (Cocoa Beans, Cocoa Butter*^), Sugar* 15% (* = Organic; ^ = Fair Trade)
Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Milk and Nuts."
*Cacao trees are native to South America and grow up to 20 degrees North and 20 degrees South of the Equator in South (and Central) America.
The name "Ecuador" means Equator in Spanish. The Equator runs east-west through Northern Ecuador. The country's privileged geographical position has made its long history as a cacao-growing country possible.
No surprise that chocolate makers seek out prized heritage/ancient varieties of cacao found in Ecuador (and neighboring countries adjacent to/part of the Amazon Basin). Arriba Nacional (and other criollo ("native") cacao varieties) are found in Ecuador. And Hacienda Victoria owners are dedicated to growing and preserving Arriba Nacional cacao.
