DISTINGUISHED BEANS
Reviewing the best in craft chocolate
Creo
Based in Portland, Oregon, Creo is a family-run company that makes top-quality, direct-sourced Ecuadorian beans into single-origin dark bars as well as fun inclusion bars like strawberry & hibiscus, dark orange, brown butter, coffee and cream white chocolate, and caramelized white chocolate. They recently won several Academy of Chocolate prizes, including gold for their Washu Project bar.
Ecuador Tesoro Escondido 73% – The Washu Project Bar
Aroma: Soft, rich perfumed wood
Flavor: Rich chocolate, a little fruitiness, hazelnuts, pepper, a little bit of a zingy bite, dried cherries. Super smooth texture. Lemon, wood, cherry, dark chocolate covered cherry, dark chocolate cheesecake, floral – rose. Some soft green flavors, vanilla creaminess. Deep chocolate flavors but smooth and without bitterness.
Recommendation: Highly recommended. Full of interesting, less common flavors.
Batch info: Batch no. 19E9f, Enjoy by July 2020
Ecuador 73%
Aroma: Mild aroma of rich roasted cocoa
Flavor: deep cocoa flavors, peanut butter, chocolate pudding. Reminds me of William Marx’s Ghana bar. Super smooth texture. Some nutty criollo flavors, not really any of the floral/earthy flavors as in some other Ecuador bars. It’s so balanced and smooth - maybe a very long conche? The added cocoa butter gives it a smooth texture and hint of flavor like coconut oil or macadamia nuts. Hint of raspberry, toasted sesame.
Recommendation: Highly recommended. Mild and approachable – just about anyone who likes dark chocolate would like this bar and appreciate the smoothness and delicate flavors. Not particularly complex, but it is so smooth and well-balanced that it is a really pleasant snacking chocolate.
Batch info: 4B9C exp. March 2020
Whiskey Milk 65%
Aroma: strawberry jam
Flavor: Rich and creamy – like ice cream; a distinct but not overly strong whiskey note, strawberry, fruity - like very ripe fruit.
Recommendation: Highly recommended. It’s on the sweeter side. If you are looking for an interesting dark milk bar with good complexity, give this one a try.
Batch info: 7EOb DA, Enjoy by December 2020