Review: Indahphoria Dominican Republic

Lindy's Rating: 6.5

Richard's Rating: 5.5

chocolate maker Indahphoria bar Dominican Republic region Dominican Republic plantation (blend) cacao trees Trinitario year (unknown) size 35g ~ 1.2oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener coconut sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $3.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with imprints, scoring, uneven sheen aroma earth (hay), roast (smoke), spice snap medium hard taste bitter, nut, fruit (citrus, grapefruit), roast, sweet melt less smooth length short finish tannin, slightly bitter

Aaron Koch founded Indahphoria Chocolatier in 2010 to hand-craft bean to bar organic chocolate infused with medicinal herbs. He made up the name Indahphoria as a cross between Indonesian and Latin to mean Carry the Beauty. Among his products are two unflavored single origin organic chocolate bars, one of which is Dominican Republic.

Indahphoria sourced the Trinitario cacao beans from La Red cooperative in the Dominican Republic. The chocolate was made with 70% cocoa solids (included added cocoa butter from the same cacao beans) and 30% coconut sugar. Although not certified, the Dominican Republic chocolate bar was made with all organic ingredients. Coconut sugar was used as a sweetener for a low glycemic level to be diabetic friendly.

The bar was quite small, coming in at only 35 grams (1.2 ounces), but it was scored into 3 substantial pieces. The bar was imprinted with a cacao pod design and came wrapped in blue foil-sided wax paper enclosed in a paper envelope. There was no production or best before date.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth, and looked good other than an uneven sheen. The bar had a medium hard snap.

Dominican Republic had three prominent aromas: an earthy scent like that of hay, a smoky roast, and spice. Lindy was surprised by how much she enjoyed the aroma, given the substantial smokiness.

The taste gave an initial bitterness, and then revealed strong nutty flavor combined with a fruit quickly clarified as citrus, and more specifically, grapefruit. I also tasted roast and sweetness.

The melt of this chocolate was less smooth. The flavor lasted about 15 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a short length. The finish was tannin and slightly bitter.

You can purchase Dominican Republic online for $3.99 directly from Indahphoria.