Chocolat Madagascar – Domaine de Mava 75%

Description

Chocolat Madagascar is one of only two craft chocolate factories in Madagascar. Whilst Madagascar is well known for the quality and flavour of its cacao, the vast majority of its beans are exported and crafted in Europe, the US and Asia. Chocolat Madagascar make for both their domestic market and export, and have been winning awards galore for their bars. They work closely with local farmers, and are now releasing some single estate bars from local farmers—including this bar from Domaine de Mava

MAVA plantation is located in north west Madagascar, nestling in the Sambirano valley and foothills of the Tsaratanana Massif offering unique terroir cacao. This region is also the habitat of the Bamboo Lemur.The MAVA plantation is owned by the Ramanandraibe and the Taloumis families of Madagascar. The name MAVA comes the first names of the shareholders of both families. The MAVA plantation​ was purchased in June 2015 from the Government ​owned company​ of Madagascar. Chocolat Madagascar won a fierce international competition to manage the land, not least because of their commitment to “create world class chocolate in Madagascar, create more jobs in Madagascar and pioneering Africa’s first exports of chocolate”.

The families have entrusted the planting, harvesting and fermentation of the cacao to Thomas Wenisch, experienced Agronomist who originally hails from France. The dried beans are then passed to Master Chocolatier Hery Andriamampianina of Madagascar who sorts, roasts, winnows and tempers the cacao into bars at Chocolat Madagascar’s factory in Antananarivo.

With their very first harvest the Mava bar won silver at the AOC awards and the MAVA cocoa is a finalist at the Cocoa of Excellence 2017 awards.

A pleasant and well-balanced acidity comes through in this dark bar. Plums, damsons, and forest fruit complement the classic red berry notes of madagascan cacao.