Dark and deep, yet floral and sweet. At first, notes of wine red and violet blue, then comes a heart of caramel and banana, for a light woody finish that stays on the palate. As Pacari knows how to do, this is a balanced chocolate, where each color is precisely calibrated, in a smooth and melting chocolate. A chocolate designed for competition.
Despite the presence of mango and sweeteners, this is not a very sweet chocolate. The mango here has no acidity: it completes the depth of a dark and sober chocolate, without bitterness but without sparkle.
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.