Impact
A cluster of chocolates sourced in the Caribbean by French barsmith Franck Morin who threads the needle around some sacks of borderline cacáos ala Jean Cocteau's Orphée. The needle, that is, as proxy pizzler / erotic angel of both ecstasy & death.
Appearance 3 / 5
| Color: |
Guatemala: muddy oxides Dorun: slate brown with a drop magenta wavelength Marvia: saturated hues |
| Surface: | less & less A.Morin's forte |
| Temper: | window pane |
| Snap: | dragons |
Aroma 7.2 / 10
Guatemala
gaucho leather / tobacco -> cocoa powder in potted soil -> oxidizes to take on some ions & a bit of flint
Dorun
barnyard on the farm
yes, BarnStrong Chocolate
Marvia
very horticulture
plant shed -> fertilizer -> mulch -> spores
gaucho leather / tobacco -> cocoa powder in potted soil -> oxidizes to take on some ions & a bit of flint
Dorun
barnyard on the farm
yes, BarnStrong Chocolate
Marvia
very horticulture
plant shed -> fertilizer -> mulch -> spores
Mouthfeel 12.4 / 15
| Texture: | just shy of slick... |
| Melt: | ... notwithstanding lecithin |
Flavor 43.7 / 50
Guatemala
rubber / metal / tar in rapido sequence (what a beginning) -> acidity surmounts the woes to approximate a jelly jam -> back nut rolling on asphalt -> trace astringency / lime(stone) -> caustic close
Dorun
star anise-chocolate -> sweetens to fruit, then wood -> mushrooms -> fruit punches back in, first as drying grape followed by soursop & finally apricot jam along with toasted nut -> rear talc action
Marvia
cocoa in its sub variant guises (chocolate -- fudge -- brownie) -> carob & coffee -> soft woods -> fruit murmurs (guineps) quietly spread over the palate (into peaches -- ackee) until joining the forefront as a chocolate-berry (terrific) -> close cap vanilla-cocoa
rubber / metal / tar in rapido sequence (what a beginning) -> acidity surmounts the woes to approximate a jelly jam -> back nut rolling on asphalt -> trace astringency / lime(stone) -> caustic close
Dorun
star anise-chocolate -> sweetens to fruit, then wood -> mushrooms -> fruit punches back in, first as drying grape followed by soursop & finally apricot jam along with toasted nut -> rear talc action
Marvia
cocoa in its sub variant guises (chocolate -- fudge -- brownie) -> carob & coffee -> soft woods -> fruit murmurs (guineps) quietly spread over the palate (into peaches -- ackee) until joining the forefront as a chocolate-berry (terrific) -> close cap vanilla-cocoa
Quality 17.1 / 20
Guatemala
Despite its overall geography, Guatemalan cacao botanically belongs to the Caribbean basin.
Rare misfire here for A. Morin attributable largely to a handicapped origin -- once-proud Guatemala still trying to recover & locate itself in the modern chocolate era. Not a bad bar per se (many worse on the market); just not up to Franck Morin's standards.
Even so, probably the best Dark bar to hail from there in a testament to improvements on the ground &, moreover, the skills of Morin.
Dorun
Cuba
Far from the cleanest cocoa -- Cuba rarely delivers in that department -- & still another exposition that exceeds the seed allotment in an overachievement. Perhaps the most fruit-laden Cuban yet; certainly the only contender to Bonnat's flavor profile for this island cacáo, despite relatively hi-torrefaction. Which means these study seeds can beat the heat & keep on fruiting.
Marvia
Jamaica
Sneaky subtlety.
The opening so dense & claustroflavic to give no quarters but, at just 63% cacao-content, sooner of later the sugar weight is going to be felt & tasted.
Some archetypal Jamaican cacao heritage in the progression (particularly the lighter fruit packs). T'would truly be revealing if they can be maintained at a higher percentage or whether just tilled under by the bigger tannins which also endow this cacáo.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin
Reviewed March 3, 2016
Despite its overall geography, Guatemalan cacao botanically belongs to the Caribbean basin.
Rare misfire here for A. Morin attributable largely to a handicapped origin -- once-proud Guatemala still trying to recover & locate itself in the modern chocolate era. Not a bad bar per se (many worse on the market); just not up to Franck Morin's standards.
Even so, probably the best Dark bar to hail from there in a testament to improvements on the ground &, moreover, the skills of Morin.
Dorun
Cuba
Far from the cleanest cocoa -- Cuba rarely delivers in that department -- & still another exposition that exceeds the seed allotment in an overachievement. Perhaps the most fruit-laden Cuban yet; certainly the only contender to Bonnat's flavor profile for this island cacáo, despite relatively hi-torrefaction. Which means these study seeds can beat the heat & keep on fruiting.
Marvia
Jamaica
Sneaky subtlety.
The opening so dense & claustroflavic to give no quarters but, at just 63% cacao-content, sooner of later the sugar weight is going to be felt & tasted.
Some archetypal Jamaican cacao heritage in the progression (particularly the lighter fruit packs). T'would truly be revealing if they can be maintained at a higher percentage or whether just tilled under by the bigger tannins which also endow this cacáo.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin
Reviewed March 3, 2016