Impact
Xocolatl – presumed Nahuatl term for chocolate (translated bitter[‘xoco’] water [‘atl’]). Since this is neither, Dagoba probably figured it just sounds cool, as if anything native vibes with the unassailable authentic. Added nibs, chilis & maca (Peruvian herb taken by fearful Inca warriors to embolden themselves with courage) & easy to dismiss this gimmickry a Frankensteroid extension of Dagoba’s apothecary line - the look of a food bar / the ingredient list for body builders; where complex becomes confusion, almost terrifying. But actually less monstrous, more holistic, than that: fire sends out a variety of smoke signals – including ‘burn baby, burn’, taste-messaging ‘with heat, matter comes alive’.
Appearance 3.6 / 5
| Color: | forest dirt w/ mineral red |
| Surface: | |
| Temper: | dead |
| Snap: | sign of life, loud power of speech; the break wall an exposed brick face |
Aroma 6.4 / 10
a war pipe: pepper, mace, tear gas, smoke, petrol, rubber latex... the insides of spent carbine
Mouthfeel 11.2 / 15
| Texture: | dry grains, grit, gravel |
| Melt: | pulverizes then boils |
Flavor 44.1 / 50
picking up on its other attributes (appearance, aroma, texture)... dry sizzle chocolate cinnabar -> brown, & brown-sugared, fruits (esp raisin & date) -> heat rising... vaporizes the preceding, lifting them above the gravel... nibs kick it w/ almond... everything gets fiery -> chocolate column cools it, like water a nuclear reactor -> herbal cake dust (the maca effect) -> cocoa fudge meltdown; back burn
Quality 17.2 / 20
Slyly done. A quelled & improved version of its ‘New Moon’ bar (which possibly serves as foundation); draws out & maps onto it some of America’s flavorites (almond & raisin), & peppers them in homage to cacáo’s ancestral roots by taking it to the edge without going over it. Instead of smoked-out & burned-off, chilis port a lot of flavor, accenting components into highlights.