When a square of chocolate melts in the mouth, the nose comes alive to recognize its perfumes. Sometimes they present themselves clearly; other times you must dig deeper, searching for gustatory links to other foods. Often I let my imagination guide the exploration, and when a fruit, herb, or other aroma comes to mind, I try to find the resemblance to what I’m tasting.
Finca Saquifrancia offers unique experiences. After the tobacco-vanilla combo, here comes macambo-coffee. Macambo is not cocoa; it’s a closely related species that can be used to make bars with a chocolate-like texture and taste. I had tried it before with the Monarque brand.
Guayusa is an aromatic, stimulating herb mainly cultivated in Ecuador. It was therefore expected that Pacari would incorporate it into a chocolate bar.
Origenec from Latacunga in the Cotopaxi highlands offers a very fine bar. The chocolate is gentle, with notes of dried apricot and cardamom that extend toward walnut.
ChocoCumi’s single-origin bars do not disappoint. The brand’s signature remains: a rich, intense chocolate with tart berry notes. Here, aromatic herb flavors come forward — thyme, rosemary and tea — in an original, nuanced blend.