Dear Alex,
Did you know that almost a half of Mongolia’s population lives in the capital of Ulaanbaatar? Wait, wrong topic.
Did you know that cocoa beans that are harvested in different regions and processed on different farms have different tastes that can provide a nuanced experience when eating chocolate that show hints of flavor other than just overwhelming “chocolate” that we think of? I’m a pretty dedicated chocolate fan, I would say. When it comes to my choice of sweets, chocolate is always at the top of that list. I don’t really crave other forms or sugar, but I do partake (as we are all sugar addicts unfortunately). So, when I learned that chocolate is so much more complicated than I realized I became incredibly excited and interested to learn more.
I first became introduced to this idea through this video that discusses how big companies created this “chocolate” taste but in the process got rid of the complex flavors the cocoa tree offers.
Thus begins my journey in understanding what a single bean chocolate bar can offer in taste and history. I have thus far purchased 4 types of chocolate bars which I will review below here.
Number 1: Ecuador 70% dark chocolate
This one has a fruity taste, almost like berries or like yeasty bread. But it’s very subtle comes out in the back after you finish chewing it. Also the bar itself is very soft as far as chocolates go.
Rating: 8/10 I don’t love the yeasty aftertaste lol
Number 2: Madagascar 92% dark chocolate
When I bought this one I didn’t realize how fucking bitter it would be lmao but I really like it as far as being able to just enjoy the subtleties of taste. There’s something almost spicy about this one, it’s more sharp in its aftertaste. It’s like it’s slightly acidic, but not like citrus fruit but more like citric acid because it doesn’t have a distinct citrusy flavor.
My moms interpretation: Smokey at first, very acidic, but also like a wooden board lmao
Rating: 9/10 I really enjoy being able to actually taste the flavor of the cocoa bean
Number 3: Vietnam 78% dark chocolate
I was going to say this one doesn’t have much taste other than sweet, but I actually now finally taste it. It’s kind of like sucking on a jolly rancher, or even a honey stick. There’s a bit of a floral, juicy taste to it. Like a really good fruit right in its best point of picking. My previous answer was going to be that this tastes like Easter chocolate lmao.
Rating: 9.5/10 sweet af love it
Number 4: Peru 70% dark chocolate
This is another really sweet one. My first thought was honey, like the richness of honey when you first put a spoonful in your mouth, not necessarily the sweetness of it. It’s definitely a sweet fruit though, but not like a juicy ripe one of the summer, maybe more like a dried fruit.
My moms interpretation: figs after a long contemplation of saying she doesn’t taste anything
Rating: 9/10 I wish there was more to taste here but I like it
Final thoughts on the taste test
I think it’s between Peru or Vietnam for me, at least for these particular brands/single origin cocoa beans. They were very sweet on their own, and absolutely hit my sweet tooth.
More ramblings
I decided to do a bit more research on why chocolate tastes so different depending on the region it’s from, according to this article, the taste is influenced by the soil and aromas of the area it’s from. Hence why Madagascar chocolate tastes fruity, in this case citrusy. There are generally 4 types of the cacao plant according to this article, and the one most chocolates are made of is the forastero because it’s easy to cultivate and high yielding, while the criollo produces chocolates with more fruity undertones and less bitterness. The trinitario is a mix between these two yielding a hybrid bean. The nacional is super rare apparently, so prob very expensive but also the least bitter! Idk about you but when I think of dark chocolate my first thought is the bitterness of it increases as the percentage goes up, so I’d be interested to have dark chocolate that doesn’t have this intense bitterness attached to it. Also quick linguistic lesson, the word cocoa or cacao originated from the Nahuatl work cacahuatl since the cocoa bean is native to the Amazon rainforest!
There is actually a chocolate institute that grades different cocoa beans according to their tastes, texture, aroma, etc and even offers a cocoa tasting course to learn all about how to determine tastes within chocolates! Also here’s a quick article about how to taste chocolates and what to look for. (Lol at the name of the website)
And that’s all! I’d love to do more research into this, the history of chocolate seems fascinating, especially considering where it’s ended up today is nowhere close to where it began (now being just a combination of multiple factors and a shit ton of sugar rather than a focus on the cocoa bean).
If you find yourself being able to buy single origin cocoa bean chocolate bars I highly recommend it! It’s a whole experience unlike your typical omnom or peanut m&ms lol.
Talk to you soon!
Lucia