Impact
The kind of stuff you can discuss Strauss’ view of world politics over, or whether Pynchon is the logical extension of Joyce at your next state dinner & award ceremonies. A permutation if not an about-face for Venzy beans which traditionally are bushels of fruit; Pralus just scorches everything inside, then torches the basket too, & must've burned his own face in the roasting, making for an Amazon forest fire of brooding intensity, doused with just a little cream retardant (Criollo), labeled Trinitario.
Appearance 4.7 / 5
| Color: | dark brown flickering magenta |
| Surface: | fab front; gnarles backside |
| Temper: | rock star |
| Snap: | bingo; sandy granite edge |
Aroma 7.7 / 10
multi-layered dark tones set the whole table: woods & vines -> toasted bread 'n butter -> green olive -> black raspberries & sour cherries
Mouthfeel 12.6 / 15
| Texture: | slightly dry brick-house; big body-weight |
| Melt: | stupendously well-paced |
Flavor 42.8 / 50
black raisin, nailed by chocolate hammers, to a gorgeous mahogany / black mission fig tree -> black cherry / licorice -> small sour cherry signaling a turn to mounting acidity bordering the feral under which structure wobbles but straightens up on mint leaf + butter to the rescue (burnt, for sure, almost caramelized) rushing in a brigade of cocoa tannic assaults -> olive deep in the back -> soothes out bread 'n buttered chocolate
Quality 17.4 / 20
Strong balancing act; really fought to stay upright. And good exposition on so-called Trinitario & why it's a problematic mob-term. Originally conceived as a hybrid crossing Criollo & the much maligned misnomer 'Forastero' (i.e., Amazon - as if it totally lacks genetic diversity & has merely 1 cacáo type) covering anything & everything in between, irrespective of proportionality (is it 90% Criollo? Or the other way around - 10%? A 50-50 split? To chocolate geeks today it seems to matter in the least that these are differences you can taste).
As of 2008, Pralus' Gran Tour has hit practically every destination around the Cacáo-Belt except Peru. This ventures close, as well as shades of Diego Badaró from the other side of the continent - Brazil - verging on feral fruit. Bottom line: as far as 'Trinitarios' go, this bar tilts heavily toward the Amazon with a gi-normous push in that direction from Pralus' stern-handed leveling roasting.
As of 2008, Pralus' Gran Tour has hit practically every destination around the Cacáo-Belt except Peru. This ventures close, as well as shades of Diego Badaró from the other side of the continent - Brazil - verging on feral fruit. Bottom line: as far as 'Trinitarios' go, this bar tilts heavily toward the Amazon with a gi-normous push in that direction from Pralus' stern-handed leveling roasting.