Review: Amano Ocumare

Lindy's Rating: 8.5

Richard's Rating: 8.0

chocolate maker Amano bar Ocumare region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 56g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $6.95

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle texture smooth with text imprints and scoring aroma butter, spice, fruit (cherry), earth, floral, sweet (molasses) snap hard taste roast (cocoa), sweet, fruit (plum, raspberry, watermelon), earth melt smooth length medium finish very slightly sour

Amano made Ocumare from cacao beans grown in the Ocumare valley of Venezuela. With 70% cocoa solids, Ocumare was made from Criollo cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla beans. The two ounce bar was scored into 15 pieces, each with an imprint of the Amano name and their cacao tree branch emblem. The bar was wrapped in gold foil and put inside a glossy black paper box with a print of Carlos Serbia's painting of Cocoa from Heaven. The bar we reviewed from lot 3/4/85D had a best before date of December 2012.

Ocumare had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color. The bar had a hard snap. The aromas of this chocolate included butter, spice, a cherry fruit, earth, and something floral. I also smelled a molasses sweetness.

The taste of Ocumare had roast cocoa with some sweetness. Early fruit flavors grew into what Lindy described as an explosion after about 15 seconds: red fruit, plum, raspberry, and watermelon. I also tasted some earth.

This chocolate had a smooth melt. The flavor lasted between 25 and 35 seconds, giving it a medium length. The final aftertaste was very slightly sour.

Ocumare won a Silver at the Academy of Chocolate's 2009 Awards.

You can purchase Amano Ocumare online for $6.95 directly from Amano for delivery in the U.S. or Canada. If you would like to buy it in combination with bars from other chocolate makers, you can get it for $6.99 from Chocolopolis.