Review: Kallari 75% Cacao

Lindy's Rating: 8.5

Richard's Rating: 8.0

chocolate maker Kallari bar 75% Cacao region Ecuador plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2010 size 70g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with leaf imprints and scoring aroma floral, earth (hay, must), roast (cocoa, smoke, hint of coffee), sweet, spice snap medium hard taste sweet (caramel), fruit (passion fruit, watermelon), peanut, bread, tannin, roast melt smooth length medium finish somewhat tannin

Kallari is a farmer-owned cooperative that grows and makes their cacao beans into chocolate in Ecuador. Their bars are USDA certified organic and Rainforest Alliance certified sustainable (socially, economically, and environmentally).

As with Kallari's other bars, 75% Cacao was made with cacao beans, cocoa butter from the same cacao beans, cane sugar, and whole vanilla bean. This chocolate had 75% cocoa solids (beans and cocoa butter). The bar was scored into 18 pieces, each imprinted with the Kallari leaf image. The bar came wrapped in silver plastic and enclosed inside the black paper box. The dates printed on the box of the bar we reviewed were a production date of August 2010 and an expiration date of February 2012.

75% Cacao had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The top surface had a matte finish and there was almost no scuffing. The snap was medium-hard.

The aroma of 75% Cacao was floral, earthy, roast and sweet. Lindy identified the earth as a combination of hay and must. We both smelled cocoa and smoke in the roast, and Lindy also noticed a whisper of coffee. For me, there was also some spice.

This chocolate revealed many flavors. The first flavor was a caramel sweetness, followed by fruits that I thought were passionfruit and watermelon. There was a peanut that Lindy described as peanut butter. I tasted some roast and Lindy experienced bread and tannin.

As with 85% Cacao, the melt was smooth. With the 75% Cacao, the chocolate flavor lasted slightly less than with the 85% bar, about 20 to 25 seconds (also a medium length). The finish was somewhat tannin.

Overall, we both liked this chocolate much more than 85% Cacao and found it to be one of the best Ecuador chocolates we've tasted so far (second only to Askinosie's San Jose Del Tambo).

You can purchase Kallari 75% Cacao online for $5.95 from Chocosphere.