Description
TASTING NOTES
This 75% chocolate from renowned chocolate maker Åkesson’s is full of the fruity-sweet tartness and red berry tones typical of his Madagascan cocoa. Pink peppercorns add a touch of heat and some unexpected floral notes that come through as the chocolate melts on your tongue. An exotic, warming chocolate experience that we think everyone should try.
ABOUT THE MAKER
Bertil Åkesson is one of the true heroes of the bean-to-bar market. He has pioneered the direct sale of his single-estate beans to over 300 chocolate makers all over the world and has crafted his own range of award-winning bars. Born to a Swedish diplomat father and a French mother, Bertil grew up in Madagascar, where his family settled in the 1970s. His father established a number of cocoa and spice plantations on the island, which Bertil has since expanded.
Bars made with Bertil’s beans have won a long list of accolades and prizes all over the world, and this lively and expressive single-origin bar is no exception. Awards for this bar include Gold at the Great Taste Awards, Gold at the International Chocolate Awards, and Gold at the Academy of Chocolate Awards. This bar hails from Åkesson’s Ambolikapiky plantation in the celebrated cacao producing valley of Sambirano, northwest Madagascar, a favourite source of beans and spices for many of the world’s best chocolate makers and chefs.
Cacao can suffer from sunburn if exposed to intense sunlight, so it has to be grown beneath the shelter of taller plants to protect it from the tropical sun. In Madagascar, growers often use taller crops such as pepper to shelter their cacao, which is the reason Madagascan cocoa has a natural spice to it. Bertil has gone one step further with this bar, adding the protective pepper to give an exciting kick to the natural earthiness of the Madagascan cocoa.
Paul E. –
Nice enough, but the pink pepper does nothing for me.
Nicole W. –
I loved this chocolate! The amount of pepper was perfect for me. Pairs really well with a nice wine or whiskey too
Dina A. –
I didn’t think much of this bar when I first tried it, the pepperiness was too abrasive for me, attacking the chocolate and hiding its flavours. After a few more tastes the sweetness and fruitiness of the chocolate became more apparent, and is a balanced contrast to the pepper. Still, I believe the amount of pepper in this chocolate bar is too much, and also means there are many peppercorns to be discovered when tasting the chocolate, which personally isn’t very nice.