In Kischwa, banana is said: guiña, hence the name of this chocolate bar.
The Sacha cocoa, which constitutes the base of this chocolate, has a rather light taste, rather buttery and minty. In this bar, they added banana essence, dried banana flakes, and a little salt. The result? A somewhat peculiar mixture, which seems to be a little unsure of itself because the natural banana aroma is very pronounced, which hides the too subtle richness of the chocolate. The taste that remains in the mouth is reminiscent of a bad banana candy.
This chocolate is part of Minka’s Single Origin collection, with cocoa from different farms in Ecuador. El Refugio is located in the province of Esmeraldas, on the west coast, near the Colombian border. It is a rather light and airy chocolate, whose notes are mostly floral and herbal: jasmine tea, cumin, and a little hazelnut or almond at the end. Pleasant and interesting, it is however not very intense. It remains nevertheless a long time in mouth, leaving a sensation of freshness which reminds strangely that of a piece of ginger marinated between two sushis.
The word that comes to mind to describe this chocolate is: comforting. It reminds me of a melting brownie, a delicious chocolate fondue, a dark Côte d’Or patissier. Tasty and evident from the very first seconds, it offers above all notes of cinnamon and caramel, which however do not stay long in the mouth.
What a delight! The Mashpi 65% chocolate is a masterpiece - see the related article here. A layer of sweet and acidulous jam, made from cocoa pulp, is added in a small compartment on top of the bar: this is the white paste that surrounds the cocoa beans in the pod (it is also called mucilage). Without covering the deep taste of Mashpi chocolate, it brings freshness, richness and originality.
One of the best Ecuadorian chocolates, without hesitation.
El Oro is a coastal region in southern Ecuador, known for its historical gold and current banana production. This chocolate is soft and round. At first, it reminds of black tea, before slowly changing to coffee, caramel and, if you look a little, some apricot notes.
It is a solid and pleasant chocolate, which will delight everyone while having its particular touches.