Santo Domingo versus Mexican chocolate

This is a tough one today.  I have two couverture chocolates in front of me that I am about to use for chocolate-making.  I  am tasting two more of the Cacao Barry Origine chocolates, the Mexique Origine rare, with 66% cocoa solids and the Saint Domingue (Santo Domingo) Origine rare with 70% cocoa solids. When I first opened the boxes, I could not identify a difference in smell between the two!  But after sticking my nose directly in each package and then tasting, I can now see an enormous difference between the two chocolates.


The Mexican is sweeter, and since it has a 66% cocoa solids, I guess I need to get past that difference in order to truly taste the chocolate. It seems tangy, yet mellow, and has a distinctly different smell than the Saint Dominique.  Previously, when I tasted this chocolate on its own, I really liked the strong, hardy flavour of it.  But in comparison to the Saint Domingue (Santo Domingo), it seems lighter with citrus-fruit flavours and very tangy. The package says liquorice notes, but I`m not quite tasting it.


I am enjoying the full-bodied flavour of the Santo Domingo.  It is darker, spicy and thick with intense flavour.  The package says `wine-flavoured` and I`ll agree - it reminds me a merlot.  In fruit form, it`s something like deep, dark cherries.


If you are not a chocolate professional, you are probably wondering what on earth you can do with this information about chocolate couverture, which you will not find in any of your regular stores.  Well, many chocolatiers use the Barry Callebaut/Cacao Barry lines of chocolate couverture in their products.  So the next time you go to a little chocolate shop that makes single origin chocolates, ask them what brand of couverture  they use.  If they say Cacao Barry, then it's likely one of the Cacao Barry brand of Origine chocolate. And hopefully this blog will help you select which of the four Origine chocolates you might like to buy. For information on the other two Origine chocolates by Cacao Barry (Venezuelan and Tanzanian), see my previous tasting at: http://ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/venezuela-versus-tanzania-couverture.html.


At some point, I should sit down and compare all four of these Origine chocolates by Cacao Barry - at the same time.  But I won`t bore you with all that. If you would like a four-pack of tasting squares, covering all four of Cacao Barry`s Origine flavours, contact me at ultimatechocolateblog@gmail.com.