Puerto Rico Tavoliz 2020 Archive

Origin:  Puerto Rico

Crop: 2020....maybe (see the Details tab)

What a remarkable chocolate.  I'm going to use that term a lot here.

Before I get into the tasting notes I want to tell you to grab this while you can.  Also, we have very little and to add to that, I am putting a 2 lb limit on sales per day.  Please don't game the system and add multiple quantities of 2 lb as we will just be forced to remove them from your order. The same goes for ordering multiple times in the same day.  I'm trying to spread the love here.  Also, because of the limited about, these are only being offered raw.  On the change we don't sell out quickly, I might offer roasted later.

Flavor Notes:

The aroma starts off soft and nutty, with just a hint of delicate fruitiness.  The chocolate starts off fruity and quickly shifts to nutty.  It is literally like nothing I've tried in 20 years.  For as much fruit that is present, not having any acidity feels really remarkable.  It is just layer after layer of softness yet somehow it isn't flabby.  This is again remarkable as it is also basically lacking in any bitterness or astringency.  The acidity that is there is so very soft and compliments the general nut flavor and hint of lime.  I know it is odd to mention lime when saying it isn't acidic but I taste what I taste.  It is like adding a titch of lime oil to something but no acid.  What helps is the amount of natural sweetness present.  It is clear and clean.

The finish has a touch of earthiness, almost like a lightly (very lightly) roasted coffee. 

It is possible I've never had less information about an offering.  These beans came by way of a long term customer who is getting out of the business and divested themselves of a bunch of beans and equipment.

All I know is they were purchased direct from the farmer/producer through mutual friends in 2020.  Yes, they are still great or I would not be offering them.

With this video, you know what I know.

Drum Roasting

The drum roasting profile I used for the evaluation sample was 14:15/16:35/20:35 @ 249 F.   What you want to note is that there is a lot of nut in this chocolate and almost no bitterness or astringency. That means you both need to keep the EOR temperature on the lower side or it will go bitter and you don't have to take it high since you don't need roast out the non-existent raw astringency.  Although I did not try it, I suspect this bean will take quite well to an EOR in the lower 240, maybe even high 230s.  That is going to mean slowing it WAY down as you still want 3 minutes in your finishing phase to fully roast the bean.

Behmor Roaster

Roast 2 lb and use P1 on the one pound setting, for 16-18 minutes or until you hear a pop or two.  It is usually impossible to over roast in the Behmor with 2 lb in there but here you might.  Pay attention to any sharp aromas and if they are in the early part of the roast, turn the power down and if in the later part, you are probably done.  If you are using the current model with Manual control, turning down the power to P3 (50% power) when it starts to become aromatic (or smells sharp) is a nice way to keep the EOR temperature in check.

Oven Roasting

Pre-heat your oven to 325 F. Put 1-2 lb of beans onto a tray single layer deep.  Check the temperature every 5 minutes, stirring at that time.  When the beans are in the 205-215 range, reduce the oven temperature to about 10-15 F above your target EOR, so if you are going for 245 F, set it to 255 F.   When the beans reach your desired temperature and/or are smelling sharp, another 15-30 minutes, remove them and let them cool. This should give you a nice fully developed roasted bean that is in little danger of being over roasted.