A. Morin Bolivie Ekeko 70%
A. Morin - Bolivie - Ekeko - Noir - 70% - Batch 25/08/25
Cacao origin/type:
Local cacao variety (wild, not cultivated, cocoa beans)
Ingredients:
Cacao beans, cane sugar, cacao butter, sun flower lecithin
Other facts:
Made in France (A. Morin, Donzere)
https://chocolaterie-morin.com/
This cocoa grows in the middle of the Cochabamba region in Bolivia. The locals from a cooperative of indigenous peoples from the Amazon basin, the Yuracré and the Chimanes, take care of the harvesting, fermentation and drying of the cocoa. The cocoa is harvested but not cultivated, it is left to grow wild.
"A. Morin Chocolatiers are a 4th generation chocolate maker in Donzère, France. Chocolatiers from father to son since 1994, André Morin founded Chocolaterie A. Morin in 1958 to start making bean to bar chocolate. Since then, they have created artisan chocolate in accordance with chocolate making tradition.They have spent years cultivating relationships with their cocoa producers and farmers to create their line of single origin chocolate bars. They also cultivate over 15,000 acres of fruit and nut orchards to use as raw ingredients such as almonds, hazelnuts and cherries for their pralines, pastes, nougats and jams."
Despite the fact that the A. Morin brand is not that old - it originated in the 1950s - we are dealing with very classic, albeit nicely designed packaging. The classic folded, non-reclosable outer packaging, the lower half in a different colour depending on the country, with the bar wrapped in equally classic aluminium foil.
The bars themselves are also very classic, on the one hand in a positive sense, as at 100gr they are quite generous in the single origin sector these days. On the other hand, they are unusually thick/high by today's standards, which I'm sure some people prefer. The finish, on the other hand, is a good step below the top end of the spectrum, slight irregularities and crumbs on the edges and base, not a disaster, but more is possible these days. No logo, no embossing, again very classic rectangles as chambers, without any decoration.
Relatively light and quite matte medium brown color for the cocoa %, it breaks relatively dull and with very small but many fine pores and particles in the cross-section, which you will also notice in the tasting.
Aroma:
Not one of the extremely aromatic category, rather fresh and delicate, milky, some quince and dry woods, as well as light nuts
Taste:
Here you notice the structure of the cross-section directly in the melt, has an intense, creamy melt, but also contains many very small particles, which in itself is nothing negative, especially with the creaminess here it seems even fuller, quince, fresh, milk, yellow plum, some gooseberry and light grapes, but still almost without any acidity, with dry, light, fresh woody notes
Finish:
The wood remains, sweet grasses, some grapes and almonds, rather dry, medium length
Conclusion:
One of my first chocolates from Bolivia and, excitingly, with wild cocoa... It was a successful experiment! Something different, with fresh, bright notes, you can really taste the local nature. Could be a little more intense on the nose and in the finish, then it could certainly have been up to 2 points more. But great for fans of single origins that are not so dark and aromatic, but who don't want too much crisp acidity either, it's quite solid.
91/100 Points
(click to enlarge)
