Review: Pacari Manabi 65%

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker Pacari bar Manabi region Ecuador plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2011 size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 65% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier sunflower lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $5.49

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, bubbles, adhered bits aroma floral, earth, fruit (citrus), roast snap hard taste sweet, sour, earth, fruit (citrus), roast (cocoa), floral, nut melt smooth length short finish tannin, somewhat sour

Pacari is a bean to bar maker in Ecuador that makes both raw and roasted chocolate from single origin Ecuador cacao. The name Pacari means nature in Quechua. All Pacari chocolate is USDA certified organic. They produce three unflavored single origin chocolate bars with cacao from specific regions of Ecuador: Los Rios, Manabi, and Esmeraldas.

Manabi was made from cacao beans, cane sugar, and sunflower lecithin. The 65% cocoa solids were all beans, with no added cocoa butter. The 50 gram bar was scored into 15 pieces. It came enclosed in a silver plastic pouch inside the paper box. The box was stamped with a best before date of July 2013.

The chocolate had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color, a little lighter than that of Los Rios. The surface was smooth, with some chocolate bits adhered to it and a few tiny bubbles. The snap was hard, but close to medium hard.

The aroma contained scents of floral, earth, fruit, and roast. The fruit scent was that of citrus.

The taste of Manabi began with a nice balance of sweet and sour that revealed flavors of earth, citrus fruit, cocoa roast, floral, and nut. The sweetness grew stronger and eventually dominated the taste.

The melt was smooth. The length was short, with the flavor lasting about 15 to 20 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was tannin and somewhat sour.

You can purchase Manabi online for $5.49 directly from Pacari, or for $3.85 from Chocosphere.