Solkiki 90% Costa Esmeraldas – Ecuador

Description

Cacao of Excellence 2019 – Ecuador’s only awarded cacao.

This accessible 90% presents a gentle acidity and robust nuttyness.

Freddy Salazar’s estate in the Cloud Forest of Costa Esmeraldas, is just 6 years old – situated on an ex-cattle ranch.  Very steep, lush, layered slopes complicate the daily work but the year round climate stays quite stable with a short wet season and misty, drizzly summers in the aptly named Cloud Forests.  Minimal temperature fluctuation means consistency is more achievable.  Management of the cocoa orchards creates over 40 full-time jobs in the local community of rural Esmeraldas.

This 90% bar contains no added fat – it’s just pure cacao, sorted, roasted, shelled, winnowed and stoneground.  Solkiki blended this ultra high% Esmeraldas with a small percentage of cocoa from a Peruvian co-op, just to take the edge off, while keeping the core of Esmeraldas intact.  The result is an intense bar with a very long luscious melt and no distractions.  Behind the initially powerful character of nutty resins the cacao presents deep and rich chocolatey notes and the melt evolves over the course of several minutes with lingering gentle acidity.