Review: Cacao Sampaka Xoconusco

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker Chocovic bar Xoconusco region Mexico plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price €6.75

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, semi-glossy, uneven sheen, adhered bits aroma roast (cocoa), spice, fruit (date, berry), nut, sweet snap hard taste fruit (blackberry), roast (cocoa), nut (hazelnut), sweet (marshmallow) melt more smooth length medium finish somewhat tannin, somewhat acidic, and slightly sour

Spanish chocolatier Cacao Sampaka sells several single origin chocolate bars, including two I purchased from Chocolopolis. Note that Sampaka chocolate is produced by Chocovic (thanks to the reader who shared this information). Although Sampaka also makes chocolate from cacao of more typical origins, both of these bars happen to be made with cacao from Mexico. The cacao for Xoconusco came from Xoconusco in the state of Chiapas.

This chocolate contained 70% cocoa solids. Added ingredients were sugar, cocoa butter, and soy lecithin. Two unscored 50 gram bars were sealed in plastic inside a paper box (with an opening through which you could see the contents). The bars were separated with a thin sheet. The batch number was 110390 and the best before date was September 2013.

Xoconusco had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The top surface of each bar was smooth and semi-glossy, with a text imprint of "CACAO SAMPAKA". The sheen was uneven, and there were a few adhered bits of chocolate and a tiny bit of scuffing. The snap was hard.

Opening the sealed plastic unleashed a rich aroma of roast in the form of cocoa, along with spice, fruit, nut and sweetness. The fruit scent contained date and berry.

The taste began with a blackberry fruit flavor that soon dissipated behind a cocoa roast. A nutty flavor, with hazelnut in particular, developed, along with a marshmallow sweetness.

The melt was more smooth. The length was medium, with chocolate flavor lasting about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was somewhat tannin, somewhat acidic, and slightly sour.

You can purchase Xoconusco online directly from Cacao Sampaka for €6.75 in Spain, or from Caputo's for $11.99 in the United States.