We get to travel by our palates and the world grows smaller and smaller with each bite. Today we are traveling to Madagascar’s Sambirano river region.
We recently acquired the young and aspiring Colin Gasko and his Rogue Chocolatier chocolates. A small scale bean-to-bar producer using nano & micro-lots to create chocolate one can adore.
His current offerings are a Dominican Hispaniola, Madagascar Sambirano, and Venezuela’s Rio Caribe.
Sambirano 70%
It was a hard choice to start with the Sambirano over the Hispaniola or Rio Caribe. Like I mentioned to Colin when we spoke they are all great regions but what makes a great chocolate is what he does once it is in the hands of a craftsman (or woman.) I’ve sampled them all and they are due their own space but today the Sambirano won out.
- Decor
- Beautiful packaging
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printed - The chocolate itself is no frills, notches, designs or adorment–clean and to the point
- Temper
- A great temper, beautiful snap/crack
- Aroma
- Hint of tropical floral
- Fuzzy peaches
- Orange
- Currant
- Taste
- Tart and juicy beginning
- Concord grape, bright
- Cinnamon savory notes
- Red raspberries
- Tangy raisins
- Body
- Smooth, very smooth
- Coating, wide body but not thick
- Reminiscent of a chocolate caramel
- Aftertaste
- Very mild tanins
- Lingering body
- Favorably slick
- Lip smacking
- Buttered toast
- A late tart cherry
- Notes
- This is a really comfortable chocolate with a lot of pizzaz. It’s not overwhelming and the percentage makes it comfortable to a lot of palates.
- Much enjoyed, looking forward to melting a bit down adding some cream and enjoying this as a little sipping chocolate
