I like nothing more than a conversation that debates flavours. This may be why eating out and trying different food with other people is something I love! A highlight from my February explorations was the Pacari bean to bar chocolate from Hello Chocolate. I already had craft chocolate on my mind with our story on How to Taste Chocolate.
For me, tasting chocolate must be a group effort because, surprisingly, I am not one to eat an entire bar by myself. I also find it interesting how each person can taste the same bar and experience entirely different flavours. The bars sent to us by Hello Chocolate did not disappoint in this regard. I shared them with a few avid chocolate fans and we all enjoyed the discussion surrounding them. Thank you, Hello Chocolate!
I also designed a tasting sheet so I could record our impressions. This tasting sheet is available for download in case chocolate tasting is a hobby you would like to take up… (Seriously, who wouldn’t!)
DOWNLOAD OUR CHOCOLATE TASTING SHEET
Our Chocolate Tasting Sheet is designed to be easy to use. Just circle the areas for colour, snap, mouthfeel/texture and flavour notes. Then write down any other observations you may have. A list of descriptive words for chocolate flavour profiles is provided as a handy reference..
About Hello Chocolate and Pacari
Hello Chocolate curates and brings to Singapore some of the world’s best craft chocolate. This time, they sent us Pacari, a maker in Ecuador who has been recognised, for five consecutive years, as the producer of the World’s Best Chocolate. Founder of Pacari, Santiago Perlata actually has no formal training in chocolate making and perhaps it is this lack of training that enables him to reinvent chocolate making which in turn produces a better bar.
Find out more about Hello Chocolate’s curated bars by subscribing to their newsletter. It is really informative and gives you a whole new world of flavours, bars and stories of chocolate makers to explore.
Hello Chocolate also sent over their newsletter Curated Picks which provided a wealth of knowledge on Pacari.
Here are my impressions of the four bars of Pacari we received. And don’t stress, I didn’t eat them all myself. I shared them, I promise! Like I said, it must be a group effort. The impressions below also include comments and notes by other tasters.
Pacari 100% Cacao Raw Organic Chocolate
A deep, dark bar completely free of sugar. The ingredients list on the back states simply – organic cacao beans. This is the only bar that I have not finished. 100% cacao is truly for the discerning palate and I’m afraid I may not be there yet… However, as I’m writing this, I have popped another piece into my mouth. It reminds me of a deep, dry wine and if I continued to explore 100% cacao, I am sure I could find much more to love about it.
Pacari Organic Chocolate with Lemongrass
Intriguing as it sounds, this bar also intrigued in flavour. It had a light snap (the sound a chocolate bar makes when you break it apart) and was a dark caramel colour. While some disliked the addition of lemongrass, I found it refreshing and spicy. It had a tinge of sour notes with herbal and vegetal flavours coming through at the end. I would love another bar of this!
The stack of chocolates from Pacari.
Pacari Organic Chocolate with Essence Andean Mint
This bar was rather polarising with the haters who hated and the lovers who loved… If you enjoy mint and chocolate, this might be the bar for you. Again, it was a beautifully made bar, smooth and somewhat astringent at the end. The mint essence had a big impact on the overall flavour profiles and while many claimed to dislike how it overpowered the chocolate, this particular bar disappeared rather quickly. You should try it and make your own judgement. (Please do share what you thought.)
Pacari Piura Quemazon 70% Cacao (Single Region)
This bar… LOVE! When tasted, people closed their eyes and just savoured the moment. It was a super smooth and faintly sweet bar. Fruity notes came to the fore and while melting gently on your tongue, it coated the mouth with rich chocolate, familiar yet more intense. Some people found flavour profiles of grain and florals. For me, this was the most beautiful bar of the four Pacari we tried. I must have more! And if I had my time with this bar again, I would not have shared!
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To purchase Pacari, visit hellochocolate.asia
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We were not paid to write this story and our reviews are honest. We were gifted the four bars of Pacari by Hello Chocolate under no obligation. Thank you so much Hello Chocolate!
