Lua - 75% - Ancestral Cocoa from Ecuador
Lua is a discovery for me this year, although this bar won awards in 2019 and 2020. The cocoa comes from Chone in the Manabí region.
Golden Bean Co - 68% - Fine Dark Chocolate
This bar with thick squares is not very sweet despite its relatively low 68% level. It’s somewhat bitter with smoky notes, stout-beer hints and coconut. Toward the end, a touch of green mint appears, hidden behind a buttery taste.
Minka - Raw 77% with Ginger
Minka’s Raw range often conveys seriousness: low sugar, intense chocolate, slightly bitter with notes of tea and pepper. This bar is no exception.
Britt - Dark Chocolate 70% - Ecuador
Britt is a Costa Rican company, but this bar is produced in Ecuador.
Bios - Fine Mucilage - 70%
Bios is one of Ecuador’s more established chocolate brands. Often their chocolate is of average quality and sold at a low price, and my previous tries hadn’t convinced me to cover them here. So I was surprised to learn this new bar won Gold at the Ecuadorian Chocolate Awards in 2023.