Chocolats Chapon 75% Chuao

For a Chuao this has a great deal more sharpness than you may expect and is certainly a completely different beast to that of the Pralus Chuao given its high roast. I suggest that as soon as you open the delightful packaging your reach in and remove the cardboard insert which gives it some stability and then place your nose into the void and bathe in the sumptuous acidity and smokiness of the scent. It is quite arid, but utterly intoxicating. 

As you pull out the chocolate from its packaging it should reveal an almost flawless mould. The shine is full and almost mirror-like. You cannot criticise the skill of the maker on this score - and nor to the flavour. 

With subsequent visitations to this chocolate the acidity witnessed at the outset will become less noticeable. In its place come the classic, creaminess as you may expect from north Venezuelan cacao. There is a strawberry and cream edge and perhaps even a touch of almond. But lurking underneath there is always this balsamic quality that just doesn't let you languish in a false sense that this chocolate is made with anything but fine flavour cacao.