Review: El Ceibo Heritage 75%

Richard's Rating: 8.0

chocolate maker El Ceibo bar Heritage 75% region Bolivia plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 80g ~ 2.8oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1012 Dark Brown texture smooth, scoring, text imprint, uneven sheen, bubbles aroma spice, earth, roast (coffee, smoke), sweet (molasses), fruit snap medium hard taste earth, fruit (plum, apricot, pear), spice, sweet (honey, molasses), nut (almond), wine, roast melt more smooth length medium finish slightly tannin, slightly bitter

El Ceibo is a local cooperative of 1200 cacao farmers that both grows and makes chocolate in Bolivia. Their tree to bar Heritage chocolate comes from wild cacao growing in the Covendo region of Alto Beni and is crafted into bars in their factory in La Paz.

Heritage 75% was made in collaboration with Chloé Chocolat. The ingredients were organic cocoa mass, sugar, organic cocoa butter, and soy lecithin.

The 80 gram bar was scored into one large central piece imprinted with "EL CEIBO" and twelve smaller pieces. It came sealed in silver plastic inside a paper box. The best before date was 26 July 2013.

The color of the chocolate was a medium-dark brown Dark Brown (PANTONE 19-1012). The bar had a smooth surface, but had an uneven sheet and some bubbles. The snap was medium hard.

Heritage had an aroma of spice, earth, roast, sweetness, and fruit. The roast was coffee and smoke. The sweetness smelled of molasses. I had trouble identifying the fruit scent, which I thought might contain olive.

I tasted many flavors in this chocolate: earth, fruit, spice, sweetness, nut, wine, and roast. The fruit included plum, apricot, and pear. The sweetness tasted of both honey and molasses. The nutty flavor seemed to be primarily almond.

The melt was more smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a medium length. The final aftertaste was slightly tannin and slightly bitter.

El Ceibo Heritage 75% is currently sold out at El Ceibo Chocolate. However, you can purchase this chocolate online for $4.99 in the U.S. from Caputo's Deli. This price is a bargain, as Heritage 75% typically sells for $8 or more elsewhere. In France, you can purchase it for €5.5 from Chloé Chocolat.