Chocolate of the Day
Firetree
Single Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island 72% Cocoa (thins)
Good ++
Weight: 1.27 oz. (36 g.) / 5.9 oz. (150 g.) in total box of 25 thins
Calories: 204 calories in 6 thins
Cost: $35.00 for 1 box of 25 pieces
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order
Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Vanuatu Theme Week.
Today's Single Estate Vanuatu Malekula Island 72% Cocoa (Rich Volcanic Chocolate Thins) were from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, United Kingdom).
Firetree offers chocolates from a variety of island nations, including the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. And the "Firetree" name is linked to the flame-hued colors of cocoa pods and the fiery volcanic origins of many islands.
Aroma and flavor notes for these smooth-textured, ultra-thin rounds included: rich chocolate (cocoa) with a well-managed roastiness and very faint earth; and faint, diffuse fruit.
Some heavy roast notes can seem overdone (too smoke-y); and some earth notes can taste a bit off (too compost-y). But both these aspects seemed in character with the cacao origins of today's chocolate, i.e. the dark, porous volcanic soils where these cacao beans and trees grew in Vanuatu.
Just as terroir comments show up in wine and coffee tasting notes, the jumbled lava rocks that break down into soils and black sand beaches (seen also in the Big Island of Hawaii in the U.S.) can contribute to detectable flavors in the fermented and roasted cacao seeds (beans) that we enjoy later.
Texture: ultra-thin rounds allowed full access to the flavors and gave one a prolonged opportunity to enjoy the lingering, almost creamy finish that was also present in yesterday's featured 100% Vanuatu bar from Firetree.
Maker's Tasting Notes: "...Cherry, soft lemon and white grape aromas give an essence of lush fruit."
Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin.
Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts, milk and soya."
