The orange wrapper displays the Venezuelan single bean origin, while the inner foil with its new-quarter shine and tight seal nicely preserves the chocolate's aroma and flavor. The bar has a matte finish with no visible sugar bloom, and a grayish brown color. The bar snaps cleanly along the lines delineating pieces approximately 1 inch square. The result of the scoring layout means each piece has to be broken a second time before eating.

The chocolate smells faintly of coffee, but most dominantly sugar. The flavor starts with a sensation of vanilla and then becomes blackberry and then shows undertones of coffee. None of the flavors in this bar are very prominent, and you are left mostly sugar and vanilla taste on your tongue. The flavor diminishes more quickly than many other bars, but given the somewhat overly sweet taste this is not a bad thing. As with many semisweet bars, the texture is noticeably grainy but the bar does melt with average amount smoothness.

This is a fine and unassuming semisweet bar for those that that do not like the bitterness of the higher cocoa percentage bars. It is definitely more palatable to the average chocolate eater than the Bucare, El Rey's other semisweet bar. Being moderately priced at $1.25/oz., it is certainly worth sampling.

Maker Comments:

Mijao is delicate and balanced with interesting hints of apricot and plum. High cacao butter content results in Mijao's fluid, buttery texture and relative low acidity without compromising flavor, aroma, and the subtle, lingering delight of this dark chocolate. The name, "Mijao", is taken from the many types of trees that have shaded the groves of cacao trees since the 1600's.

The somewhat plain looking wrapper announces the Venezuelan single bean origin, while the inner foil with its new-quarter shine and tight seal nicely preserves the chocolate's aroma and flavor. Aromas of vanilla and chocolate float up when you first open the packaging. The bar breaks with clean lines and good snap, yielding pieces approximately 1 inch square. The layout of the mold is somewhat aggravating by requiring a second break after breaking the square from the bar because they are too big to be eaten as-is.

Almost immediately after placing the chocolate on your tongue, your senses are assaulted by the overwhelming flavor distinctly like that of potting soil, fresh from the flowerbed. The shocking piquancy blooms into a faint damp mold, before finally relenting to a subtle cinnamon undertone. The sugar blends evenly with the bitterness of the chocolate, resulting in a well balanced sweetness. As is often the case with the semi-sweet chocolates, this sugar produces a texture reminiscent of that of fine sand, definitely detectable by even the unsuspecting tongue.

While not one of my favorite bars, the bean quality is very good, and its uniqueness makes it worth the ride for a chocolate adventurers. The flavor of this bar contrasts sharply with its sister bar, the Mijao, which has a cocoa content that is just 2% higher, but offers a more subtle experience.

Maker Comments:

Bucare is our most versatile chocolate - balanced to perfection to achieve a robust cacao aroma with pleasant overtones of fruit. It has great character, texture and a long, lingering mouth-feel. The name, "Bucare", is taken from the many types of trees that have shaded the groves of cacao tress since the 1600's.