Description
TASTING NOTES
Made from cocoa from the San Jose Del Tambo region of Ecuador, this chocolate has a wonderfully complex flavour with notes of bergamot orange, honey & jasmine.
ABOUT THE MAKER
Chocolate maker Shawn Askinosie spent 20 years as a criminal defence lawyer before switching his attention to chocolate in 2005. He travelled across four continents to build relationships with farmers and figure out how they could work together to create the perfect chocolate. Now, he and his team place great emphasis on social responsibility: putting fairness, justice, sustainability, and education at the heart of everything they do.
THE BEANS
A quiet, unassuming village at the foothills of the Andes Mountains holds one of cocoa’s best-kept secrets. Once an outpost for journeying Quechua Indians looking for rest before ascending the Andes, San Jose Del Tambo, Ecuador, has made its mark in South America as one of the best regions in which to grow cocoa. Its balmy weather and high altitude, coupled with the roaring waters of the Rio de San Miguela, together create one of the world’s best environments for growing superb cocoa beans.
Askinosie’s first-ever origin, Shawn visited this town in 2006 and has been excitedly journeying back every year since. Today, he works with a very small group of family farmers in San Jose Del Tambo that harvests the highly coveted Arriba Nacional cocoa beans. These beans—considered by some to be the best in the world—evoke the unbelievably rich, earthy soil of the Ecuadorian Andes.
Lesley J. –
Talk about two extremes in one tasting box!!!! This one is pretty good. Rich and dark rum’n raisin notes really fill the palate. The Arriba beans pack far more power than the 70% suggests, and I can’t really think of any reason why I held back the final star… perhaps it was that I felt battered and bruised by the absolutely godawful Akesson’s with Fleur de Sel that came in the same monthly box, by comparison with which anything would taste good.
Jonathan R. –
I’ve worked my way through this bar and each time I have the first square I get a really strong initial chemical tinge. This is masked when I have the second square (just to check). I find this quite an acidic bar, with a finish that leaves my mouth dry. I am not too sure about it; I’ll have to try more Askinosie bars (the same & others) to see. I think this particular bar will be an acquired taste – not immediately moreish like some.
Dina A. –
Very pleasantly citrusy and acidic, nicely intense chocolate with jasmine after tones. Lots of lemon and orange. Lovely melt, and I absolutely love the packaging and appearance of the bar. I don’t think I can find a flaw with this at all.
Susanne P. –
Dark but not too bitter. Delicious
Henrik O. –
Yummy. Pure class dark chocolate. Deep intense dark chocolate as one would expect. Fantastic concentration, and a beautiful combination of power and finesse.