A visit to Brussels was the occasion to visit several chocolate stores. The brand Pierre Marcolini is among the most famous, and not only for its bonbons: they also sell great grand crus. Surprisingly, no chocolate from Ecuador. So I wanted to try something else, that you don’t often see: an Indian cocoa, of the Amelonado variety.
First of all, a special thanks to the Cacao & Cacao store located in Quito on Juan Leon Mera Avenue for providing me with a special preview of this chocolate.
Mint, rosemary, pistachios and butter. These are the aromas that come to mind. This is a chocolate that is not very intense. You have to give it a chance after the first few seconds and let it slowly melt on your tongue. It declines its fine nuances quietly.
Valdivian offers another intense chocolate, with a rich and powerful character. Woody notes reminiscent of a log cabin, followed by a touch of acidity. It feels like eating a really good brownie: it’s great chocolate, but it doesn’t stand out.
It is a chocolate reminiscent of dried fruits: first almonds and hazelnuts, then apricots and raisins. Slightly sweet, it gains in subtlety if you let it melt gently in the mouth: the notes decline slowly but cover an interesting range. Once swallowed, there is nothing left.