Criollos +
by Arabuco Kai
Impact
Agüeybaná II, the Taíno leader on the island Borikén (as Puerto Rico was know before Columbus), had his doubts about the "godly" status of the Spaniards. He came up with a plan to test this: along with Cacique Urayoán (leader at neighboring Añasco), they sent emmisaries to lure a Spaniard named Diego Salcedo into a river & drown him. They watched closely to make sure Salcedo's floating body did not revive. His death was enough to convince everyone that the Spaniards were not gods.
May Diego rest in peace.
People still have lingering doubts whether Puerto Rico's cacáo enjoys similar overblown mythos. Scroll down to discover if these bars dispel such notions.
May Diego rest in peace.
People still have lingering doubts whether Puerto Rico's cacáo enjoys similar overblown mythos. Scroll down to discover if these bars dispel such notions.
Appearance 2.8 / 5
| Color: | muddied |
| Surface: | rough & rugged |
| Temper: | distressed |
| Snap: | tension |
Aroma 7.6 / 10
Raw
fetid, even fecal
Ciales
simple kids stuff: caramel-cocoa 'n vanilla
San Sebastian
cocoa forestry
Utuado
semi-flat until it tickles up melon-cotton candy
fetid, even fecal
Ciales
simple kids stuff: caramel-cocoa 'n vanilla
San Sebastian
cocoa forestry
Utuado
semi-flat until it tickles up melon-cotton candy
Mouthfeel 11.9 / 15
| Texture: | affirms its Surface appearance (see above) |
| Melt: | sideways |
Flavor 44.7 / 50
Raw
70% cacáo-content; Batch 48; near Utuardo, (west-central) Puerto Rico
cocoa dust -> lime-scented soap turns to floral bubbles -> clean, soft-malic stringent grip to close
Supposedly unroasted;& while it lacks the length that raws usually lack, its flavor warms considerably compared to most.
Ciales
70% cacáo-content; Batch 50; Ciales, (northerly central) Puerto Rico
direct transfer of the Aromatics, to the T, a huge vanilla plume (none listed as added) subsides into a little charred coffee shot
Classified as a Criollo cacáo crafted into chocolate. Mostly that amounts to sales hype. In the case of Puerto Rico, rife & ripe with Criollo studding more than dotting the island, it rings & moreover tastes true. Culled from but a single stand of about 20 trees. Translation: nano-lot.
A touch heavy-handed on the roast. A worthwhile representative nonetheless of the varietal & the origin.
San Sebastian
70% cacáo-content; Batch 51; San Sebastian, (northerly west) Puerto Rico
dried spice (cinnamon) -> vanilla -> tonka / hay -> cream fill to approximate a Dark-Milk -> stringent sandstone
From '1-tree farm' (re: a single Criollo tree on 15 acres)!
Rivals Esmeraldas on its better days
Utuado
70% cacáo-content; Batch 53; Utuado, (west-central) Puerto Rico
soft bite / softer flavor tags...
delicate flower -> melon & starfruit -> root beer -> sassafras -> canella (white cinnamon) -> cookie dough
Outstanding & exquisite. Serene & generous. A dilating palate-opener. This along with the Raw (above) best classified as a 'hodge-pod' of diverse varieties (Nacionals, Amazons, et.al.)
70% cacáo-content; Batch 48; near Utuardo, (west-central) Puerto Rico
cocoa dust -> lime-scented soap turns to floral bubbles -> clean, soft-malic stringent grip to close
Supposedly unroasted;& while it lacks the length that raws usually lack, its flavor warms considerably compared to most.
Ciales
70% cacáo-content; Batch 50; Ciales, (northerly central) Puerto Rico
direct transfer of the Aromatics, to the T, a huge vanilla plume (none listed as added) subsides into a little charred coffee shot
Classified as a Criollo cacáo crafted into chocolate. Mostly that amounts to sales hype. In the case of Puerto Rico, rife & ripe with Criollo studding more than dotting the island, it rings & moreover tastes true. Culled from but a single stand of about 20 trees. Translation: nano-lot.
A touch heavy-handed on the roast. A worthwhile representative nonetheless of the varietal & the origin.
San Sebastian
70% cacáo-content; Batch 51; San Sebastian, (northerly west) Puerto Rico
dried spice (cinnamon) -> vanilla -> tonka / hay -> cream fill to approximate a Dark-Milk -> stringent sandstone
From '1-tree farm' (re: a single Criollo tree on 15 acres)!
Rivals Esmeraldas on its better days
Utuado
70% cacáo-content; Batch 53; Utuado, (west-central) Puerto Rico
soft bite / softer flavor tags...
delicate flower -> melon & starfruit -> root beer -> sassafras -> canella (white cinnamon) -> cookie dough
Outstanding & exquisite. Serene & generous. A dilating palate-opener. This along with the Raw (above) best classified as a 'hodge-pod' of diverse varieties (Nacionals, Amazons, et.al.)
Quality 15.3 / 20
Any doubts that Puerto Rico boast pure & plentiful Criollo can rest assured & be put aside. As detailed years ago on this site, the island abounds with them.
Very basic craft from Dillian & Ivan of Arabuco Kai. With such a home-field advantage they hardly need much more than that.
Ancillaries aside, some entrancing flavors at their core DNA.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar
Reviewed March 22, 2017
Very basic craft from Dillian & Ivan of Arabuco Kai. With such a home-field advantage they hardly need much more than that.
Ancillaries aside, some entrancing flavors at their core DNA.
INGREDIENTS: cocoa mass, sugar
Reviewed March 22, 2017