Bittersweet Dark 2017
by Mason & Co.
Impact
Vajra means both thunderbolt & diamond in Sanskrit. Buddhists & Hindus use a scepter-like ritual object of the same name. It holds symbolic significance as an implement to cut thru ignorance like a thunderbolt & indestructible as diamonds.
Jane & Fabien Mason wield a vajra-worthy craft in getting India to transform its subpar ways as they gather the know-how & anti-fragility to produce world-class chocolate.
Jane & Fabien Mason wield a vajra-worthy craft in getting India to transform its subpar ways as they gather the know-how & anti-fragility to produce world-class chocolate.
Appearance 3.4 / 5
| Color: | opaque fuschia |
| Surface: | slightly scarred & marred |
| Temper: | recessed |
| Snap: | pointed |
Aroma 7.2 / 10
as industrial as it is agricultural -> moves into a wine bar-cum-brew pub
Mouthfeel 11.8 / 15
| Texture: | durable |
| Melt: | enduring |
Flavor 41.9 / 50
petrol fumes commingle with hops & yeasts -> sweet vine (cross between rattan & grape!) divides them, the gas 'n sugar co-creating black mission fig, then licorice -> surprise pomegranate -> faint frankincense amidst burnt rubber -> roasted butter nut
Quality 15 / 20
A confluence of woes that comes good (enough) if not quite true. By the end though the compounds play ok & fit.
Tastes roasted beyond its actual roasting temperature due to the prep & handling during post-harvest.
Those post-harvesting methods in the past here yielded zero quality control, evidenced in Mason & Co.'s 2016 release. This 2017 vintage shows incremental improvement. Inching along, expect ever better in harvests to come.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter
Reviewed December 28, 2017
Tastes roasted beyond its actual roasting temperature due to the prep & handling during post-harvest.
Those post-harvesting methods in the past here yielded zero quality control, evidenced in Mason & Co.'s 2016 release. This 2017 vintage shows incremental improvement. Inching along, expect ever better in harvests to come.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter
Reviewed December 28, 2017