Lindy's Rating: 9.5
Richard's Rating: 9.0
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Chocolate Santander makes single origin chocolate bars locally in Colombia using a mix of local Criollo and Trinitario cacao. We reviewed their Colombian 70% bar in April.
Colombian 65% is Santander's only other dark chocolate bar made without inclusions. The 65% cocoa solids included added cocoa butter, and the other ingredients were cane sugar, soy lecithin, and vanilla. The 70 gram bar came wrapped in foil and was scored into 8 pieces, each with an imprint of the Chocolate Santander name. The container was stamped with a best before date of December 2012.
The color of Colombian 65% was lighter than the Colombian 70%: a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The bar had a medium hard snap.
The aroma of this chocolate included several fruits: a dried fruit that most closely resembled raisin, coconut, and Lindy also smelled an orange pit fruit like that of apricot or peach. A sweetness of caramel and marshmallow was also present for me. In addition, we both noticed an earthy scent, as well as some roast.
Colombian 65% had a smoky roast flavor, as well as fruits similar to the aroma: clear coconut, as well as a less distinct pit fruit, and a dried fruit like that of raisin. We tasted the marshmallow sweetness and a nuttiness that Lindy identified as walnut.
The chocolate had a better than average more smooth melt. The length was medium, with the flavor lasting 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was slightly tannin, and I also noticed slight acidity.
We tasted the Colombian 65% at the same sitting as Domori Teyuna, as the two are single origin chocolates made with cacao from Colombia. Both greatly impressed us. I thought Teyuna was better, but Lindy preferred this bar (and put it on her favorites list). Lindy and I found Colombian 65% better than Colombian 70% (though the latter was great, too, and both chocolates are in the top 20 on our Best Chocolates Overall page).
Pralus also makes a single origin Colombian chocolate bar, so I'll buy it at the next opportunity and get a review out soon after we get it. Given this recent great experience with Colombian chocolate, we'll be looking for others to review as well.
You can purchase Santander Colombian 65% online in the U.S. for $2.90 from Chocosphere.
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