This bar is made with cocoa beans from the south eastern area of the Alta Verapaz around the Polochic river in eastern Guatemala. Once harvested they’re shipped to Stoke on Trent where James Walter turns them into one of Seed’s chocolate bars.
I’ve tried a few Guatemalan chocolate bars now, made from a few different varieties and growing regions. So far my experience has been similar to the experience I’ve had with the single origin coffee from this country. All the chocolate so far, has displayed some acidity, some fruit, as well as being fairly balanced and fairly rounded. This all-roundedness seems to be a general attribute of the Guatemalan terroir, extending to both the coffee and chocolate of this country. This bar in particular though is made using cocoa bean from in the further south east of Guatemala and is also presented as a dark milk with inclusions. I’d expect there to be some level of fruitiness that comes through with some low acidity, but i expect this to be heavily tempered by the inclusions. My main hope is that the bar has a clear flavour characteristic and that as usual the chocolate and the inclusions marry well. Opening the packaging I’m presented with a crazy paving cocoa pod slab in a glossy matte finish. Breaking off a piece reveals milk and cream aromas with cocoa and this steely spice quality. Placing a piece in my mouth the chocolate has a crumbly marzipan feel, with a lightly syrupy feel that leads into rich butteryness. To taste this bar goes on a bit of a journey, but with similar complementary flavours. It opens with strong clear honey notes that lead into rich creams, warm milk and chocolate mousse notes, backed by flecks of toasted almonds and cardamom. Late in the melt a little lime jelly comes through with sparks of zingy acidity punctuating an otherwise rich and creamy profile. This is a rich and creamy dark chocolate, with a distinct cocoa backbone and lots of spice and fruit top notes that add to the complexity. This is one for those who appreciate some subtle complexity, fans of fragrant spice or those who enjoy spiced hot drinks. Best enjoyed with shortbread, ready salted crisps, parkin or citrusy IPA’s
Ingredients: Cocoa beans, milk, unrefined cane sugar, coffee, cardamom, black pepper
Appearance 8.5/10
Colour: Medium latte brown
Texture: Smooth, light ridging
Mould: Cocoa pod crazy paving
Snap: Crisp
Temp/Shine: Glossy matte
Aroma 9/10
Intensity(0-10): 9
Notes: Milk, cream, cocoa, steely spice
Quality: Crisp, steely, pointed
Melt/Mouthfeel 9/10
Length: Long
Evenness: Even
Texture: Marzipan, syrupy, buttery
Quality: Short (biscuit), rich, buttery
Acidity 9/10
Intensity(0-10): 2
Notes: Hot milk, buttermilk, dried limes
Quality: Lactic, concentrated, zingy
Sweetness 9/10
Intensity(0-10): 8
Notes: Honey, buttercream, sweetened hot milk, spiced sugar
Quality: Rich, warm, pointed
Flavour 9.5/10
Intensity(0-10): 9
Type: Sweet
Notes: Honey, cream, enriched butter, cardamom, toasted almonds, chocolate mousse, warm milk, lime jellies
Quality: Rich, creamy, spiced, fruity, warm
Length 9/10
Flavours are full with good length from the outset, making rounds on peaks of warm lactic acidity
Finish 9/10
Notes: Toasted almonds, chocolate mousse, warm milk, lime jellies
Quality: Darker nuttier cocoa and milk notes fill the end before picking up some subtle lime jelly notes in the finish leaving a lingering clash of slightly zingy fruity notes with creamy cocoa notes
Balance 9/10
Bar has a simple fat driven balance, with complementary flavours, firm structure provides tonnes of stability and anchoring
Overall 9.5/10
Bar has good depth and good dimension, complexities are well balanced and structure is consistent, expression feels honest and well amalgamated, with processing encouraging rich creamy feel
Seed Chocolate’s Tasting Notes: Coffee cream. Gentle floral spice. Long lasting cocoa finish.
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