Review: Amano Morobe

Lindy's Rating: 7.5

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker Amano bar Morobe region Papua New Guinea plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) 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 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with text imprints, scoring, bubbles, curved bottom aroma roast, floral, earth, fruit (citrus), hint of dairy snap medium hard taste earth, fruit (citrus, grapefruit, lime, blackberry), roast (smoke), sweet melt smooth length medium finish slightly acidic, hint of smoke

Art Pollard found the cacao beans for this chocolate in the southernmost part of Papua New Guinea, and tried many variations of roasting temperatures and times, and conching temperatures and times, to discover how best to release the flavors of these beans.

Amano Morobe contains 70% cocoa solids (cacao beans and added cocoa butter from the same beans) plus cane sugar and whole vanilla beans. The two ounce bar was scored into 15 pieces, each with an imprint of the company emblem and name.

The bar came wrapped in gold-sided foil in a glossy paper container. A small sticker was printed with lot 3/4/92B and a best before date of May 2013.

Morobe had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth, with some tiny bubbles on the top. The shape of the bar, however, was uneven, with the bottom surface curved so that the middle part was thinker than the edges. Perhaps due to insufficient time before cooling? The bar had a medium hard snap.

The aromas of Morobe included roast, floral, earth, and a citrus fruit. I also smelled a hint of dairy.

The chocolate first tasted of earth and then fruit, primarily citrus, but also berry. We identified the citrus as grapefruit and lime and the berry as blackberry. The other prevalent flavor was a smoky roast. I experienced sweetness as well.

Morobe had a smooth melt. Its length was medium, with the flavor after the chocolate was gone lasting 20 to 30 seconds. The final aftertaste was slightly acidic with a hint of the smoky roast.

You can purchase Morobe online for $6.95 directly from Amano for delivery to the U.S. or Canada. If you want to combine it with the purchase of another brand of chocolate, you can buy it for $6.95 from NewLeaf Chocolates or for $7.00 from The Meadow.