Review: Original Beans Piura Porcelana

Lindy's Rating: 8.0 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 8.0 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Felchlin bar Piura Porcelana region Peru plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 70g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with imprints and scoring aroma roast (cocoa), earth, fruit, (apricot, prune), sweet, spice snap medium hard taste fruit (citrus, lime, raspberry), roast, nut, slightly bitter melt more smooth length short finish roast, very slightly bitter

Original Beans Piura Porcelana was made from Porcelana cacao beans that they discovered in the Piura River Valley of Peru in 2006. Original Beans, under their "The Planet: Replant It" program, continues to help Cepicafe (the regional farming cooperative) replant this rare Criollo cacao with a subsidy from sales of this chocolate bar. Each bar sold results in an additional tree planted. You can read more about it by entering the tracking number from the back of the wrapper (P01347 0722, in this case) on their website.

Although Original Beans is not a chocolate maker, they closely oversee the production of their chocolate, which is made by Felchlin. Piura Porcelana was made with 75% cocoa solids from organic and fair trade cacao beans, cocoa butter, and organic cane sugar. Original Beans shared that they used a 72 hour conch in making this chocolate. The 70 gram bar was wrapped in silver foil and packaged in a black paper container. The bar itself was scored into 12 pieces, each with an imprint, as shown in the picture above. The best before date was December 2012.

The color of this chocolate was a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) and the bar had a medium hard snap. The aroma was a clean cocoa roast with earth and dried fruit that Lindy identified as apricot and prune. I also noticed some scents of sweetness and spice.

Piura Porcelana tasted of fruit, including citrus (that I experienced as lime) and raspberry. There were also roast and nut flavors. Lindy found the taste slightly bitter.

The melt was more smooth. The length was short, with the chocolate taste dissipating in 10 to 15 seconds. The finish contained a roast flavor and was very slightly bitter.

While not as good as the Venezuelan Porcelana chocolates we've reviewed (all three of which are among Lindy's favorites, and two of which are among mine), this chocolate costs about half as much. Overall, we both liked it and rated it ***.

You can purchase Original Beans Piura Porcelana for $6.95 in the U.S. from Chocosphere or for £4.75 in the U.K. and Europe from Chocolate and Love.