Domori Guasare Criollo 70%

Guasare can be seen, as Domori themselves point out, as the 'father' of the fabled Criollo bean. How much of that desirable cacao DNA after generations of governmental abuse in Venezuela is open to debate. What isn't in doubt is that fantastic quality this chocolate offers. Unlike much of Domori's line this has some intensity. It's almost 'raw' as in uncouth, virgin, unsophisticated. But that opinion would be missing the point. This is all about heritage, about enjoying a relatively rare cocoa bean in a sea of forced hybrids and over-hyped cultivars. 

The flavour notes offer some woodiness, some caramel sauce, cream and almond. The texture is also unusual. It tries its hardest not to melt. It wants to stay in chocolate form as long as it can. It forces you to take another bite and witness a different hue of flavour. But this chocolate should be enjoyed slowly and with what Domori were aiming to convey in mind.