Review: Kallari SACHA Sisa's Secret 70%

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Kallari bar SACHA Sisa's Secret region Ecuador plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2013 size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth, scoring, uneven sheen, bubbles aroma roast (cocoa), sweet (marshmallow), vanilla, floral snap medium hard taste floral, fruit (watermelon, passion fruit), sweet, roast (tea), tannin melt smooth length medium finish acidic, somewhat tannin, slightly sour

Kallari now makes six unflavored chocolates from tree to bar. We reviewed their three original bars in 2011: (85% Cacao, 75% Cacao, and 70% Cacao). They now have an artisan line with many flavored chocolates and three unflavored ones: Sinchi Supreme 85%, Roberto's Recipe 75%, and Sisa's Secret 70%.

Kallari is organized as a cooperative in Ecuador of indigenous Kichwa families. The name for this chocolate bar came from the Kichwa word for "flower" (sisa). As with all of Kallari's chocolate, Sisa's Secret was made locally with organic Ecuador cacao. The ingredients of Sisa's Secret were cacao beans, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla. Total cocoa solids were 70%.

Sisa's Secret came in a sealed silver plastic wrapper inside a brown paper box. The 50 gram bar was scored into 15 pieces. The production date of the bar reviewed here was January 10, 2013, and the best before date was January 10, 2014.

This chocolate had a medium brown Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317) color. The surface was smooth, but had an uneven sheen and bubbles. The appearance of this bar was not attractive. The bar had a medium hard snap.

With a wonderful aroma much like that of Sinchi Supreme, Sisa's Secret had rich cocoa roast and marshmallow scents. The aroma was sweeter than Sinchi Supreme and the cocoa scent was even clearer without Sinchi Supreme's smoky undertones. I also smelled vanilla and floral scents.

Sisa's Secret tasted intensely floral. Other flavors I experienced were fruit, watermelon, passion fruit, and a tea roast, but floral flavors were always dominant. The taste was tannin and very sweet.

The melt was smooth. The flavor lasted 20 to 25 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a medium length. The finish was acidic, somewhat tannin, and slightly sour.

In spite of its disappointing appearance, Sisa's Secret had a lovely aroma and a floral flavor exemplifying Ecuador chocolate.

You can purchase Kallari SACHA Sisa's Secret 70% online for $5.25 from Chocosphere .