Bálsamo Wood Aged - Harvest 2017 (76%) Reserve

As a potential aging vessel, Balsamo wood caught our attention early on. Native to parts of Latin America, it’s known for its aromatic properties. But responsibly sourced balsamo is rare, and it took us years before we were finally able to acquire a small quantity. We gathered just enough wood to build a single vessel capable of holding roughly 12 kgs of chocolate. RAIN HARVEST 2017 Our Rain Harvest 2017 chocolate is one of our most approachable and well-balanced To’ak editions. It subtly hits on all of the signature flavor notes associated with heirloom Nacional cacao: fruity, floral, nutty, and woody. It seemed an ideal choice for our first aging experiment with Balsamo wood. THE RESULT It took several years for the Balsamo-aged chocolate to finally pique our attention. We’ve found that many wood-aged chocolates tend to express themselves more quickly and boldly, but the Balsamo vessel took a noticeably different path. While gently woody notes hit at the nose and palate, warm tones of tobacco, brown fruits, and winter spices round out the entire tasting experience.