70%
by Madécasse
Impact
Morphs a beautiful maiden into a burning witch which means the beans in this bar died twice: once during fermentation, a second time roasting inside the charnel house.
Appearance 3.3 / 5
| Color: | dark titian |
| Surface: | scuffed & dusted |
| Temper: | semi-flat |
| Snap: | on the mark for 70% (high & tight); sanded edge w/ early signs of bloom |
Aroma 7.4 / 10
what does death in Madagascar smell like? Pretty good actually: roasted up coffee-hazelnut -> peripheral cocoa husks & dried coconut -> butter-soft leather; again, none of the usual Mad suspects (chert & citric fruit) except a lite glaze of litchi
Mouthfeel 10.9 / 15
| Texture: | clumpen; some small grain too |
| Melt: | hypo-kinetic; astringent grip |
Flavor 35.3 / 50
drops in a brief sugar date -> gently charred cocoa pwdr mixes w/ quartz silica (beautiful) -> bitter vs. acid quarrel in the back-seat while bobbing hazelnut brings its oil forth to calm down the decisive winner... the bitter victor -> residual calcium-rich baobob resin -> browns out a brownie
Quality 10.6 / 20
All the signs & problems plaguing its 75% sib, further aggravated by a roast that over-shot the Maillard Reactions deep into charred territory, burning off most of Madagascar’s prized acids in a bitter dual. The bar-smiths at Madécasse must’ve felt emboldened by what an extra gram of fat & sugar will do to compensate for the ills in their 75% release, & so scorched these beans even hotter, if that’s possible. Still, it allows for that beautifully constrastive moment at the beginning when quartz crystal & lit ashes glisten up against each other to fire the memory.
ING: cocoa mass, sugar, cacáo butter; CBS (Cocoa mass-Butter-Sugar ratio) 2:3:2
Reviewed Spring 2009
ING: cocoa mass, sugar, cacáo butter; CBS (Cocoa mass-Butter-Sugar ratio) 2:3:2
Reviewed Spring 2009