Review: E. Guittard Sur del Lago

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker Guittard bar Sur del Lago region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo, Trinitario year (unknown) size 57g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 65% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier lecithin flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $3.89

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, signature imprints, scoring, scuffing, bubbles aroma roast (cocoa, coffee), sweet, vanilla, floral snap hard taste roast, sweet, dairy, spice, fruit (red berry) melt smooth to more smooth length short finish slightly sour

Guittard made Sur del Lago with Criollo and Trinitario cacao beans from the Sur del Lago (literally south of the lake) region of Venezuela. The lake to which they refer is Maracaibo.

This bean to bar chocolate was made with 65% cocoa solids (including added cocoa butter) and had other ingredients of cane sugar, soy lecithin, and vanilla beans. The two ounce bar was scored into 12 pieces, each with an E. Guittard signature imprint. It came enclosed in brass-sided foil inside a paper wrapper. The best before date on the bar I reviewed was August 2012.

Sur del Lago had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth, but had substantial scuffing and several tiny bubbles. The snap was closer to hard than medium hard.

The aroma of this chocolate consisted of roast, sweet, vanilla, and floral scents. The roast was a mix of mostly cocoa with a little coffee.

I tasted roast and sweet flavors, with some dairy, occasional spice, and fruit. The fruit flavor, which included red berry, was relatively subdued behind the strong sweet roast.

The melt of Sur del Lago was right on the cusp between smooth and more smooth. The flavor lasted 15 to 20 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a short length. The finish was slightly sour.

You can purchase Sur del Lago for $3.89 online directly from Guittard, or for $3.25 from Chocosphere.