Venezuelan Canoabo - 2016
Flavor Profile
Flavor Profile
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Origin: Venezuela
Type: Criollo
Certifications: Ethically and Sustainably Traded
Year: 2013
Flavor Notes:
As with most Criollo, don't expect heavy chocolate flavors here, but DO expect chocolate. This is a lovely soft flavored chocolate. It's not fruity bright, nor is it dark and brooding. What it is is a study in balance and elegance. Like a lot of the beans in this region, there is cream and soft red fruits. The slight tang of molasses for balance. A touch of roasted cashew rounds out the flavor. There is no astringency nor bitterness to speak of, not unexpected since the raw beans are nearly lacking in bitterness. This almost makes me think of a milk chocolate without the milk. This is real joy to work with.
On a whim I tried some of this in the raw state (peeled still, but something I usually don't do). I was very pleasantly surprised to find it not bitter or astringent, basically lacking in that raw waxy feel, and with some soft green apple flavors. Not a lot of chocolate flavor (since that is developed when roasted) but pretty good.
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This is a from a new farm in Canoabo (for the life of me my mouth wants to say Obi wan Kanobi - don't ask me why, I know its nothing like that) which I am rather excited about. The primary farmer is Rodrigo who is kind of a maverick and anomaly in the cocoa farming circles. He did not grow up farming cocoa but instead when to university Valencia but discovered he didn't like the bustle of the city. With many modern techniques in hand, he and his father found a farm in the Canoabo valley and brought this particular strain of cocoa back from nearly being lost.
Canoabo is on the Barlovento coast and is home of some of the nicest cocoa I have run across and many of Rodrigo's techniques (which many of the local farms just shake their head at) I believe are the reason, including some of the neatest drying patios I've ever seen. He seems to really have a handle on giving his beans just the treatment they deserve.
Canoabo has a a very light break associate with many Criollo stocks and hand peels rather easily.
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