Tasting the 7 single origins from Foundry Chocolate

We bought the 7 single origins chocolate bar range from Foundry Chocolate at the Chocolate and Coffee festival.  We also got to meet David and Janelle, the couple behind Foundry chocolate.  We had tried a couple of Foundry chocolate bars before and loved them.  This time we wanted to share the tasting experience with some friends and newbies to craft chocolate.  We did a recorded podcast of this tasting, and here the tasting notes from that.

TASTERS:
Joni, Johanan, Danielle, Shallom, Tremaine, Desiree

All the bars have only 2 ingredients: Cacao Beans and Organic Sugar
​All bars are 70%

PERU - UCALAYI RIVER

Tasting notes picked up from the group:
Earthy and Sandalwood
Fruity, Apricot, Raisin Sultana
Tastes like the biscuits Sultana Pasties
Full on flavoursome dark chocolate.

Tasting notes from David the Chocolate Maker:
Raspberry, Tamarillo
Cinnamon and Coffee

We really liked this bar.  We have never had a bar from Peru we didn't like.  Out of the 7 single origins this came in about 4th.

​UGANDA - SEMULIKI FOREST

Tasting notes from the group:
Looks really dark, almost black in colour.
Dark looking, but mild in taste.
Berry, Wine
Caramelly, creamy and sweet.

David the Chocolate Maker tasting notes:
Marshmellow, berries and cream, toasted almonds

This bar is quite beautiful and in the group was the 2nd most favourite for everyone.

MEXICO - SOCONUSCO CHIAPAS
​

Tasting notes from the group:
Orangey.
Yummy rust, metallic
Sandalwood, slight wood
Bitter at the end
A little something spicy at the end.

David the Chocolate Maker tasting notes:
Fruity tang, nuttiness

The Chocolate Gazetters had tried this bar before and absolutely loved it.  We liked the previous batch a bit better than this one, though this was still nice.  
Previous batch tasting notes: Batch 81 Bar no. 46/60
Plum, raisin dipped in honey
A slight chilli peppery spice note.
A little kick of heat in aftertaste.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA  - KULKUL KARKAR ISLAND

The cacao beans used in this bar were grown at the side of an active volcano.  This bar got the most mixed reactions.  Most of us really liked it, a few didn't like it as much as the others.  It did seem the most different in flavour than the other chocolate bars.

Group tasting notes:
Smells like wood
Ash, rock, smoke, hangi, earthy, tastes like the smell of a retirement village
Not fruity, a mild chocolatey taste

David the Chocolate Maker tasting notes:
Lychee, pawpaw, cream

We loved how this tasted like it's growing origin, a live volcano

INDIA - ANAMALAI ESTATE

Group tasting notes:
Red brown in colour
Tastes like the colour orange, apricot, nutty, tangy, spice.
Lingering aftertaste.
Trey said "That was fun"

David the Chocolate Maker's tasting notes:
Exotic spice, night blossoms, citrus tang.

This was another bar the Chocolate Gazetters had tried before.
Previous bar tasting notes:
Batch 112, bar no. 40/58
slightly fruity, slighty woody, 
plum, blackberry, spicy, musky notes, cardamon, sandalwood, earthiness

A multi layered and flavour note bar.  It really is a fun tasting experience.  In the top 4 we tried.

VANUATU - PINALUM, MALEKULA ISLAND

Group tasting notes:
Mild, sweet, caramelly chocolate flavour.  
Nuttiness in the aftertaste.
The only bar they could eat in one sitting as it is milder than the others.

David the Chocolate Makers tasting notes:
Malt and Caramel
This bar was probably the least complex in flavours compared to the others.  It was nice, just not as exciting to taste.

TANZANIA - KILOMBERO VALLEY

Group tasting notes:
Packaging looks like crisp apple
Peaches, apple, cherries, fermented fruit, cider, wine
Melts in the mouth, sweet.
Johanan said it would make a nice chocolate pudding.
FAVOURITE!!!   By all in the group.

David the Chocolate Maker tasting notes:
Christmas cake, stone fruit, cherries

FINAL THOUGHTS
We had a great time tasting all of these 7 origins and hearing the comments of our friends who had never had craft chocolate before.  It was fun coming up with what we could taste and then seeing what David the chocolate maker had said.  
Everybody agreed that all the chocolate was nice and that Tanzania was just the best!!

Thank you David and Janelle for this chocolate tasting journey around the globe.