Manufacturer: Chocolates El Rey
Cocoa Content: 70%
Location: Venezuela
Manufacturer Website
Rating: C+

Today's chocolate tasting is the Gran Saman from Venezuela's El Rey. The Gran Saman bar is deep mahogany in color with reddish-orange highlights. The palate has nutty notes of peanuts and walnuts. There is very little acidity of note, but some faint notes of banana and mango are present. Mint, oak and vanilla flavors are here as well. There is a note of roasted coffee, but it is way in the background. Chewing the Gran Saman brings forward notes of cedar, mint and some faint strawberries. The consistency is quite gritty and doesn't really smooth out as it melts. The finish has nutty notes and hot cocoa.

I must admit that I was quite disappointed with the El Rey Gran Saman dark chocolate bar. The construction seems rather poor with an overall gritty, nearly chalky, consistency. The flavor seemed rather bland as there was little in the way of either acidity or roasted flavors to excite the palate. With so many great chocolates being made with Venezuelan cacao, I had some high expectations for this bar, but this was a big miss for me.

Manufacturer: Domori
Cocoa Content: 70%
Location: Venezuela
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A-

Manufacturer: Pacari
Cocoa Content: 60%
Location: Ecuador
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B

Today's tasting is the Esmeraldas, a 60% dark chocolate bar from Pacari. The Esmeraldas cocoa comes from the rainforest on the North coast of Ecuador. The chocolate bar is notably dark for only being a 60% cocoa, and has highlights of purples and reds.

The initial impression on the palate is a rich, sweet chocolate. There are notes of bread, sunflower kernels, earth and mint. The sweetness also leads to notes of caramel, toffee and "cream & sugar" coffee. The acidity level on this chocolate is fairly light. Chewing the Esmeraldas brings forward caramel as well as a faint berry note. The mouthfeel does have a slight graininess and waxiness to it. At the tail end the finish has cocoa and caramel that fades slowly and lingers for longer than I expected, given that this is a fairly mellow tasting chocolate.

The Pacari Esmeraldas is a decent tasting chocolate that seems to fall just a bit short. At 60% I find that the sweetness tends to mask some other flavors that want to peek out. There are some construction issues as well. Despite these caveats, this would be a good chocolate for those who are graduating from milk chocolates up to darker territories, especially with the notable caramel and toffee undertones.

Manufacturer: Chocovic
Cocoa Content: 71%
Location: Venezuela
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B+

Today's chocolate tasting is from Spanish chocolate maker Chocovic. Up for review today is their Ocumare 71% dark chocolate bar. The Chocovic Ocumare is deep brown in color with a purplish-red tint.

The first impression on the palate is a nutty, woody chocolate note. Rich chocolate flavor builds over background bitter notes. There are notes of dried fruit, namely raisins and prunes. Fragrant wood notes of hickory and cedar are distinct here, along with some spice notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. There is a low-to-moderate amount of acidity, but it is just enough to work well with the flavor profile of this chocolate. Chewing the Chocovic Ocumare opens up notes of dried berries, tobacco and leather. The bar melts to a smooth, thick and creamy mouthfeel, with just a slight cooling sensation. The finish has nutty and woody espresso notes.

The Chocovic Ocumare has an enjoyable, distinct flavor. The woody and dried fruit flavors pair very well together, and the lower level of acidity in this chocolate supports those flavors well. This is a very good chocolate, especially if you like the acidity toned down a bit.

Manufacturer: Domori
Cocoa Content: 70%
Location: Venezuela
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A

Manufacturer: Waialua Estate
Cocoa Content: 70%
Location: Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A+

Up for review today is the Waialua Estate dark chocolate bar. The Waialua Estate has the unique distinction of being 100% American from bean to bar. The beans are grown at the Dole plantation in Hawaii, and the bars are being made by Guittard. The bar itself is mahogany in color with reddish-purple highlights.

On the palate there are smoky, roasted chocolate notes up front. What starts out as a moderate acidity builds to a lively level, revealing pineapple, citrus, red berries and green bananas. Some mint and floral aromatic flavors are here. Espresso, sea salt, black pepper and creamy notes are all present as well as some earthiness in the background. Chewing the Waialua Estate opens up spearmint, green bananas and a rosy floral note. The bar melts perfectly on the tongue. It is smooth, creamy and leaves a slight cooling sensation. The finish has floral notes, fruit, and coffee (along with a faint espresso bitterness). All notes seem to fade in perfect unison.

The Waialua Estate bar is a true masterpiece. It is perfectly crafted, has great complexity and a very distinct flavor. This is a perfect example of terroir as it relates to chocolate. The Hawaiian volcanic soil leads to a one-of-a-kind flavor that this bar captures perfectly. While my previous experiences with Guittard have been hit-or-miss, this bar is truly one of the elite.