Review: Patric Rio Caribe Superior 70%

Lindy's Rating: 9.0 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 8.5 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Patric bar Rio Caribe Superior region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 65g ~ 2.3oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $7.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture matte with imprint aroma roast (coffee, cocoa), floral, spice, earth, hint of sweet snap hard taste sweet, tart, fruit (berry, apricot, citrus), roast, hint of walnut melt more smooth length medium finish slightly sour, very slightly acidic

The bar arrived broken :(

Patric is the creation of independent American craft chocolate maker Alan McClure. In addition to his work making great bean to bar chocolate at his factory in Columbia, MO, he is also one of the founders and current Chair of the Craft Chocolate Makers of America.

Patric Rio Caribe Superior is a single-origin bar made of 70% cacao from the Paria peninsula of Venezuela. The only additions to the cacao beans were cane sugar and cocoa butter. Inside the paper wrapper, the 65 gram Rio Caribe bar was enclosed in clear plastic. As I've mentioned before, I prefer foil to plastic, so that you can easily reuse it if you don't eat the entire bar in one sitting. The best before date was November, 2011.

The chocolate bar was a single slab with a matte finish and a large cursive "Patric" imprinted across it. The bar we reviewed had unfortunately been broken at some point. In any case, it had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color and a hard snap.

Lindy soon mentioned that the chocolate had a pleasant aroma. The scents we noticed were roast (as coffee to me; cocoa to Lindy), floral, spice, earth, and a hint of sweet.

Rio Caribe had a taste that was both sweet and tart, with fruit flavors of berry, apricot, and something citrus. I also experienced some roast, and Lindy detected a hint of walnut.

The melt was smoother than average, definitely in the more smooth category. The flavor lasted 20 to 25 seconds after the chocolate was gone, placing it on the near end of a medium length. The final aftertaste was slightly sour, and I also noticed a very slight acidity.

Overall, the Patric Rio Caribe Superior had many great qualities, and although it did not break into either of our favorites lists, we both thought well of this chocolate. Lindy described her rating as a high ***. This was our first review of a Patric chocolate bar, but it won't be the last. We look forward to trying others.

You can purchase Rio Caribe Superior online for $7.99, either directly from Patric or, if you want to bundle it with some bars from other chocolate makers, from Chocolopolis.