Dark 80
by Omanhene
Impact
Ghana means 'warrior king' & Omanhene is the titular ethical king in the Twi language. So consider this, at 80%, among the tops in its bid to be the ‘king of kings’ – at least percentage-wise - in this neck of the cocoa woods (speaking of West Africa).
Black as soot, with a taste to match.
Black as soot, with a taste to match.
Appearance 3.6 / 5
| Color: | ebony (sumthin’s up) |
| Surface: | looks from Texas... of simple elegance: shallow-scored mold w/ a lone star in the center |
| Temper: | disinterested |
| Snap: | a boomer; perfect cleave (save for a pinhole or two) |
Aroma 6.3 / 10
parched: cocoa, wood, leather, & even the poop (or humus in the polite world) at the bottom of the dried campfire ash -> banana leaf on the rubdown -> aerates small red spot (plum)
Mouthfeel 10.2 / 15
| Texture: | causticly dry |
| Melt: | urgent |
Flavor 42.5 / 50
plain chocolate -> cocoa powder granules -> benzoin gum (think vanilla & sassafras) -> wooden bitters -> ash fleck -> chalk -> biscuit ‘n peaches (wow) -> cocoa thunder recedes over lightly bittered ash whose engines never quite cool -> settles into soot
Quality 16 / 20
Pretty spare & austere. Pounding cocoa baseline tamed quite a bit thru alkali (the compromise in this relatively low 20% sugar-count), though some aromatics still pass the filter. Wood & ash furnish some welcome depth & that rarefied (albeit brief) biscuit ‘n peaches moment is unexpected from this orgin indicating both a strong ferment (2 weeks?) & maximal roast (~300?).
Other than some work needed on the Texture, this could be a solid everyday bite.
ING: cocoa mass, sugar, alkalized cocoa powder, cacáo butter, lecithin
Reviewed Summer 2010
Other than some work needed on the Texture, this could be a solid everyday bite.
ING: cocoa mass, sugar, alkalized cocoa powder, cacáo butter, lecithin
Reviewed Summer 2010