Following this years new year resolution…
Only eat artisan chocolate unless its Kitkat, Twix or Maltesers.
I signed up to the monthly Cocoarunners chocolate box and its been great. Out of the box, I found the above Chocolates really noteworthy in taste, texture, etc. I guess I should have written a review for each one but its hard to do this, so I kept a photo of the ones I would easily go for again.
From top left and across to the right line by line.
- Krakakoa – Sedayu Sumatra 70% – Bold quality packaging with chocolate worth savoring for yourself. Great Chocolates.
- Naive Ecuador rough ground 75% – Got to show some love for rough cut chocolates like stone ground Chocolates. Some people hate it but I welcome the different taste sensation in Chocolate. This one is a good one to get started with.
- Rio Nuevo – Ecuador 80% – Dark citrus taste, makes it taste less dark
- Fresco – Guatemala Polochic Valley 70% – Super smooth and excellent hint of citrus fruit for a fresh taste
- French Broad Chocolates – Matagalpa, Nicaragua 68% – Nice all-rounder
- Franceschi 70% – This is a elegant & smooth Chocolate with classy packaging.
- Chocolate Tree – Peru Chililique 70% – I remember this one being great then being very disappointed when trying another Chocolate Tree one a month later.
- Malmo Dark Chocolate & Chili 70% – Picked up in Sweden, not sold from Cocoarunners. Love their factory, which says “A completely nutritious factory – neither nuts, soy, eggs or gluten are handled in our factory.” Won’t beat Caroline Reaper but great to know there are completely 100% nut free Chocolate and its a smooth chilli taste.
- Ara – Tingo Maria, Peru 70% – Nice and smooth to eat, tastes like 50%
- Solkiki – Kablon Farms, Philippines 70% – Interesting after taste, similar to high levels of cocoa.
- Feitoria do Cacao – Nicaragua Nicalizo 76% – Flowery but in a good way
- Islands Chocolate – St Vincent Dark Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs, 80%
- Vietnam 78% – Can’t beat those hits of dark cocoa nibs, nicely put together so not over powering. Bold packaging too.
- Menakao Madagascar Combava & Pink pepper 63% – Pepper spice, interesting taste
- Mestico – Bonanca “14 Varietal” 75% – Great hints of caramel
- Marana – Piura Dark 70% – Fantastic carefully flavoured chocolate
- Luisa Abram – 70% – Creamy and smooth, fantastic luxury packaging
I have to give another shout out to these chocolates which simply blew me away
- Georgia Ramon – Carolina Reaper Chili 70% – Just incredible taste, really powerful impactful chilli taste but the dark Chocolate is good quality and pretty tasty too. Real compliment to each other.
- Manufaktura Czekolady 100% Ghana Grand 100% – I describe this as simply the best 100% dark chocolate you can ever get. Never had anything like it, and although I like 100%, this one really makes you wonder if there’s a mistake and it’s actually 85-90% instead.
I’ll be continuing my subscription to Cocoarunners for another year for sure…