Bahias; Madagascars
by Metiisto
Impact
Contrary to popular opinion, the world's not going to hell in a hand basket -- it's coming to chocolate.
More proof of that rests in yet another barsmith, this one from Sweden.
So in the spirit of the Norse mythology surrounding Ragnarök in which the world disintegrates Armageddon-style only to revive anew, Metiisto seems hellbent to craft the best damn cocoa it can get its hand on to convince people the world over that all shall be fine.
More proof of that rests in yet another barsmith, this one from Sweden.
So in the spirit of the Norse mythology surrounding Ragnarök in which the world disintegrates Armageddon-style only to revive anew, Metiisto seems hellbent to craft the best damn cocoa it can get its hand on to convince people the world over that all shall be fine.
Appearance 4.7 / 5
| Color: | shade-perfect for origins / genotypes |
| Surface: | branded with a flamboyant 'M' (see image upper right) |
| Temper: | marred by plastic wrapper transfer |
| Snap: | healthy plunks |
Aroma 8.4 / 10
Bahia 70%
flax, pipe tobacco & vinegar
worrisome or worry none?
Bahia & Fleur de Sel
better managed -- salt tampers the volatiles down
Madagascar 72%
sticky stuff: resins & tarts
Madagascar 72% with Nibs
scintillating spiced-citrus malt
Madagascar Dark-Milk
one sweet tart of a heifer lollygagging in the meadows, ruminating on citrus blossoms
flax, pipe tobacco & vinegar
worrisome or worry none?
Bahia & Fleur de Sel
better managed -- salt tampers the volatiles down
Madagascar 72%
sticky stuff: resins & tarts
Madagascar 72% with Nibs
scintillating spiced-citrus malt
Madagascar Dark-Milk
one sweet tart of a heifer lollygagging in the meadows, ruminating on citrus blossoms
Mouthfeel 13 / 15
| Texture: | swells |
| Melt: | runs thin |
Flavor 46.3 / 50
Bahia 70%
those Brazilian fruits (açai & pitanga) ingrained in potted chocolate
Bahia & Fleur de Sel
Triple-S: sweet 'n sour 'n salt
Madagascar 72%
yes, berry-tart as expected for this island cacáo but also an almost brownie-dense chocolate note rare for the origin -> hallmark Madagascan vetiver -> teak & cedar -> dry juniper eventually equals gin tonic -> hazelnut toffee
Madagascar 72% with Nibs
piercing sharp acid cuts thru a field of Nibs which respond in kind by enveloping it for chocolate-grapefruit -> cocoa-juniper -> wood chips splinter into deep vetiver -> chocotini
Madagascar Dark-Milk
citric Starburst® caramel (incredible), the twain teasing each other between mounting acidity on one side & a good tug toward butterscotch on the other -> milk chocolate lime -> umami stemwinder
those Brazilian fruits (açai & pitanga) ingrained in potted chocolate
Bahia & Fleur de Sel
Triple-S: sweet 'n sour 'n salt
Madagascar 72%
yes, berry-tart as expected for this island cacáo but also an almost brownie-dense chocolate note rare for the origin -> hallmark Madagascan vetiver -> teak & cedar -> dry juniper eventually equals gin tonic -> hazelnut toffee
Madagascar 72% with Nibs
piercing sharp acid cuts thru a field of Nibs which respond in kind by enveloping it for chocolate-grapefruit -> cocoa-juniper -> wood chips splinter into deep vetiver -> chocotini
Madagascar Dark-Milk
citric Starburst® caramel (incredible), the twain teasing each other between mounting acidity on one side & a good tug toward butterscotch on the other -> milk chocolate lime -> umami stemwinder
Quality 18.1 / 20
Bahia 70%
Sample Batch
Fazenda Sempre Firme, Bahia, Brazil
Virtually no progression; just a bang-on flavor profile that stays the course throughout… long & strong.
Uncommonly good. Quality seed selection. A sweet argument for more Brazilian chocolate, especially with the country's intense bio-diversity -- & in particular its cacáo varietals.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter
Bahia & Fleur de Sel
Sample Batch
Real judicious sprinkling of Fleur de Sel to season this chocolate's acidity. The flakes' subtle mineralization turns a sweet into a snack which by the end conspire a môlé.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, fleur de sel
Madagascar 72%
Batch 12
So on-point this could serves as the blueprint for the Madagascan cacáo catalog of flavors -- just about each one represented in a single bar. Terrific encyclopedic symmetry. Few Madagascans offer such tour de force.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter
Madagascar 72% with Nibs
Batch 14
The combine of earthbound Nibs + Metiisto's soaring Madagascar 72% (above) in a fine lockup in the middle. Without sacrificing the high packets, Nibs pull the center of gravity downward for added ballast to better balance the profile. Exceptional tailoring / detailing.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, Nibs
Madagascar Dark-Milk
56% cacáo-content; Batch 4
Ever since Cluizel Magaro Lait, Madagascar cacáo in the Milk Chocolate format presents an intriguing flavor spectrum because its berry-like flourishes offset so distinctly from the earthen elements of dairy. And where most of these typically emit high clarity even thru a heavier cream screen (e.g., Soma's Madagascar Milk at 48% cacáo-content), this pitches up near-perfect to think of milk as no less intrinsic to the cocoa compounds than the fruit notes.
Sensational. Similar to the Bahia (above) in that this undergoes very little progression (some to be sure but not a lot). No worries, for the flavor is utterly indelible: filthy rich & seductively charming.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, milk powder, cocoa butter, Nibs
Capsule Summary
Smart startup with the sense to source raw material from fellow Swede Bertil Åkesson who tends cacáo properties in both Brazil & Madagascar. With quality cocoa procured, Metiisto, already a step ahead & half-way there, can concentrate on matters of good taste in its micro-refinery.
Reviewed June 3, 2015
Sample Batch
Fazenda Sempre Firme, Bahia, Brazil
Virtually no progression; just a bang-on flavor profile that stays the course throughout… long & strong.
Uncommonly good. Quality seed selection. A sweet argument for more Brazilian chocolate, especially with the country's intense bio-diversity -- & in particular its cacáo varietals.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter
Bahia & Fleur de Sel
Sample Batch
Real judicious sprinkling of Fleur de Sel to season this chocolate's acidity. The flakes' subtle mineralization turns a sweet into a snack which by the end conspire a môlé.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, fleur de sel
Madagascar 72%
Batch 12
So on-point this could serves as the blueprint for the Madagascan cacáo catalog of flavors -- just about each one represented in a single bar. Terrific encyclopedic symmetry. Few Madagascans offer such tour de force.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter
Madagascar 72% with Nibs
Batch 14
The combine of earthbound Nibs + Metiisto's soaring Madagascar 72% (above) in a fine lockup in the middle. Without sacrificing the high packets, Nibs pull the center of gravity downward for added ballast to better balance the profile. Exceptional tailoring / detailing.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, Nibs
Madagascar Dark-Milk
56% cacáo-content; Batch 4
Ever since Cluizel Magaro Lait, Madagascar cacáo in the Milk Chocolate format presents an intriguing flavor spectrum because its berry-like flourishes offset so distinctly from the earthen elements of dairy. And where most of these typically emit high clarity even thru a heavier cream screen (e.g., Soma's Madagascar Milk at 48% cacáo-content), this pitches up near-perfect to think of milk as no less intrinsic to the cocoa compounds than the fruit notes.
Sensational. Similar to the Bahia (above) in that this undergoes very little progression (some to be sure but not a lot). No worries, for the flavor is utterly indelible: filthy rich & seductively charming.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar, milk powder, cocoa butter, Nibs
Capsule Summary
Smart startup with the sense to source raw material from fellow Swede Bertil Åkesson who tends cacáo properties in both Brazil & Madagascar. With quality cocoa procured, Metiisto, already a step ahead & half-way there, can concentrate on matters of good taste in its micro-refinery.
Reviewed June 3, 2015