To’ak Signature – Rain Harvest 2019

To’ak is famous. They are known as makers of the most expensive chocolate in the world. The great thing is that they don’t have to rely on chocolates with gold glitter or other embellishments. Although with that most expensive variant you do of course get a wooden box with very specific and beautiful wood, tweezers, and other extras.

That is not really necessary for us, and we are happy that To’ak is now also releasing that identical chocolate in the ‘Signature’ series. Still incredibly expensive, and beautifully packaged. But – for what it is – affordable. After all, it is special Nacional cocoa from their own cocoa plantation – tree to bar as it is called. And yes, you can also find other brands in our range that are delicious. But we think To’ak is a wonderful chocolate company that knows how to ask the question ‘what is a fair price for chocolate?’ through what they do. Asking the question is answering it: the average chocolate is too cheap. That is to say, the chocolate companies make billions in profits, but they have been doing so for years and years with far too little respect for people and nature (you know the excesses from the news by now) and the chocolate is mainly so cheap because it is not about cocoa… The cocoa is ‘bulk cocoa’ of mostly mediocre quality, which is disguised by roasting the cocoa thoroughly and adding a lot of sugar and other extras.

Now the chocolates that we sell do things differently, it is chocolate that is about cocoa, in which you can taste the diversity, the origin of the cocoa. And where a fair price is paid for good cocoa. And good consideration is given to the environment. And yes, you pay for that. We do everything we can to keep the prices low from our side, we really do not have to get rich from it ourselves (and we will not), but we do think it is very right that you pay for quality, and also that the chocolate makers pay the cocoa farmer a fair price. Very necessary. Another factor is that cocoa consists of all kinds of varieties with their own taste profile and characteristics. Where the big industry only goes for monoculture (with far-reaching consequences for the environment), we think it is very important that the natural diversity of cocoa is preserved and that the cocoa does not only grow everywhere in otherwise barren plantations but between the other trees in a more natural system.

Whole story, now about this chocolate!

To’ak makes, and that is very cool in our opinion, specific chocolates per harvest year. So you can taste the harvest of 2019 in this chocolate. There is a harvest twice a year, this is the ‘rain harvest’. We find the chocolate from the previous year significantly less (and we do not sell it either), this 201 harvest – as To’ak also indicates – gives a taste that is nicely balanced. Very nice to see the influence of the weather in this way, and to be able to taste the chocolates next to each other – that is possible in the tasting set of minis, also available.

About this specific year, To’ak himself says: “The 2019 Growing Season The weather in Piedra de Plata was generous and dependable throughout the 2019 growing season. In fact, it was shockingly consistent with the annual average weather over the six-year period that we’ve been tracking climate in Piedra de Plata. Ironically, this is what makes this year extraordinary. Every other harvest year has had at least a few striking anomalies. The 2019 growing season was smooth and predictable throughout the 12-month period that preceded it d the harvest. Precipitation and sunlight tracked the monthly averages to a degree that we had never seen before. In other words, the dry season was dry, the rainy season was rainy but well-endowed with plenty of sunlight, and the post-season phase was well-balanced minimum.””

Tasting notes from the makers:

Taste notes: mandarin, orange blossom, nuts, coffee.

Ingredients: cocoa 75%, cane sugar.

Pairing suggestions from the maker: “As always, sweet fortified wines such as Port and Pedro Ximenez sherry work well. Zacapa 23 rum, triple distilled Irish whiskey and sherry-finished single malt Scotch whiskey are also good pairings. Bowmore 1965, a fascinating Islay single malt, was particularly well-suited to this edition. In terms of cheeses, we recommend Gruyère, Comté, aged Gouda and Brie.”