Nicaragua
Grass-fed Milk
Hazelnuts & Chocolate
Cranberry White
Strawberry White
by River-Sea
Impact
The smorgas-awards season for chocolate, & food generally, is over. Congrats to the winner of this year's category for Best Chocolate Nutella-style Spread that Doubles as Suntan Lotion + SPF 30 Sunblock.
The interruptus allows for a shift in attention to those who toil away far from the (s)limelight & such (mal)practices.
Exemplar: River-Sea Chocolates. Off the beaten path yet well on their way.
The interruptus allows for a shift in attention to those who toil away far from the (s)limelight & such (mal)practices.
Exemplar: River-Sea Chocolates. Off the beaten path yet well on their way.
Appearance 4.1 / 5
| Color: |
Nicaragua: ruby brown Grass-fed Milk Chocolate: uh, uh, uh... spend thousands on that Caribbean vacay & the tan still won't look this gorgeous Hazelnuts & Chocolate: filbert Cranberry White Chocolate: pink sunburn Strawberry White Chocolate: "lemerald" (lemon-lime) |
| Surface: | picture perfect |
| Temper: | confident |
| Snap: |
Nicaragua: and Grass-fed Milk Chocolate: resistent Hazelnuts & Chocolate: limp White Chocolates: not as much as a chuff |
Aroma 9 / 10
Nicaragua
honey peanut caramel blows up a huge chocolate 'sroom head
add leather vinyl + small composting element cut by a faint mint breath
Grass-fed Milk Chocolate
what wafts outs a dark toffee caramel rolls over smoked vanilla cream
Hazelnuts & Chocolate
mild for the type
Cranberry White Chocolate
coconut laden
Strawberry White Chocolate
maple-strawberry butterscotch
honey peanut caramel blows up a huge chocolate 'sroom head
add leather vinyl + small composting element cut by a faint mint breath
Grass-fed Milk Chocolate
what wafts outs a dark toffee caramel rolls over smoked vanilla cream
Hazelnuts & Chocolate
mild for the type
Cranberry White Chocolate
coconut laden
Strawberry White Chocolate
maple-strawberry butterscotch
Mouthfeel 11.8 / 15
| Texture: | li'l lumpy / waxed |
| Melt: | marathon-length |
Flavor 45.4 / 50
Nicaragua
vanilla malt caramel interlined by black cherry-chocolate -> nice bitter wood offset -> tangs up some on naranjilla -> backdrop cookie dough
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter
Grass-fed Milk Chocolate
smoke wisp right off doused instantly by a cocoa butter bath -> so waxen it buoys among Milk Duds® -> excellent salted vanilla bean (neither added)
INGREDIENTS: cocoa butter, sugar, cocoa mass (Vietnam), milk powder; Barithmetic (Cocoa mass / Butter / Sugar ratio): ~1:3:3?!?!?!?!
Hazelnuts & Chocolate
mocha latte gianduia -> cows come home at the end & kick over the (butter)milk bucket
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass (Nicaragua), sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, hazelnuts
Cranberry White Chocolate
casein -> plaster -> coconut -> lemon-cranberry -> vanilla frosting
INGREDIENTS: cocoa butter (Tanzania), sugar, coconut, cranberries, vanilla bean
Strawberry White Chocolate
vanilla white -> berry tang -> the twain mix into a citrus butterscotch -> maple edge -> umami
INGREDIENTS: cocoa butter (Tanzania), non-fat milk, sugar, strawberries, vanilla
vanilla malt caramel interlined by black cherry-chocolate -> nice bitter wood offset -> tangs up some on naranjilla -> backdrop cookie dough
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter
Grass-fed Milk Chocolate
smoke wisp right off doused instantly by a cocoa butter bath -> so waxen it buoys among Milk Duds® -> excellent salted vanilla bean (neither added)
INGREDIENTS: cocoa butter, sugar, cocoa mass (Vietnam), milk powder; Barithmetic (Cocoa mass / Butter / Sugar ratio): ~1:3:3?!?!?!?!
Hazelnuts & Chocolate
mocha latte gianduia -> cows come home at the end & kick over the (butter)milk bucket
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass (Nicaragua), sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder, hazelnuts
Cranberry White Chocolate
casein -> plaster -> coconut -> lemon-cranberry -> vanilla frosting
INGREDIENTS: cocoa butter (Tanzania), sugar, coconut, cranberries, vanilla bean
Strawberry White Chocolate
vanilla white -> berry tang -> the twain mix into a citrus butterscotch -> maple edge -> umami
INGREDIENTS: cocoa butter (Tanzania), non-fat milk, sugar, strawberries, vanilla
Quality 16.6 / 20
Nicaragua
Among the best-in-class for the origin. Hits on a nice flavor range (highs / lows; intensity / subtlety; spread; etc.).
Grass-fed Milk Chocolate
Unique formulation. The lead ingredient cocoa butter, followed by sugar, then cocoa beans & finally milk. Hence the "waxen" consistency &, moreover, White Chocolate bearing. For those on the prowl for a different kind of milk choc.
Hazelnuts & Chocolate
River-Sea reverses course on its Grass-fed Milk Chocolate (above) by swapping in more cocoa mass / less cocoa butter. Quite the balancing act. So equipoised throughout save for the very end when the dairy takes hold. Very fine.
Cranberry White Chocolate
A hit or miss / hate it or luv it proposition
Strawberry White Chocolate
Rare for the type / pairing. Heavier & "darker" than usual, & eventually savory. River-Sea turning down the sugar in favor of greater milk presence to turn the trick. Undeodorized cocoa butter then plows thru. Exceptional.
Reviewed January 29, 2019
Among the best-in-class for the origin. Hits on a nice flavor range (highs / lows; intensity / subtlety; spread; etc.).
Grass-fed Milk Chocolate
Unique formulation. The lead ingredient cocoa butter, followed by sugar, then cocoa beans & finally milk. Hence the "waxen" consistency &, moreover, White Chocolate bearing. For those on the prowl for a different kind of milk choc.
Hazelnuts & Chocolate
River-Sea reverses course on its Grass-fed Milk Chocolate (above) by swapping in more cocoa mass / less cocoa butter. Quite the balancing act. So equipoised throughout save for the very end when the dairy takes hold. Very fine.
Cranberry White Chocolate
A hit or miss / hate it or luv it proposition
Strawberry White Chocolate
Rare for the type / pairing. Heavier & "darker" than usual, & eventually savory. River-Sea turning down the sugar in favor of greater milk presence to turn the trick. Undeodorized cocoa butter then plows thru. Exceptional.
Reviewed January 29, 2019