The Grenada Chocolate Company - Organic Dark 71%

It may seem unfair to start off with a history lesson but not everybody knows that this beautiful island, located 100 miles north of Venezuela, was once invaded by the marines.  In 1983 a bloody coup and a perceived threat to American students resulted in an opportunity for the USA to invade it. Apparently, the Marxist regime was allied to Fidel Castro in Cuba so a good enough reason for the Americans to invade this country. By mid December the fighting was over, the boys went home to their bases and a pro American regime was installed to run the country. 


The Grenada Chocolate Company, is a brand that I've seen on the shelves of Waitrose many times but for some reason I've only just decided to pick up a bar. It is  not exactly a shrinking violet with its very distinctive and brightly coloured packaging. The company was set up in 1999 initially as an organic cocoa farmers' and chocolate makers' cooperative. They have won many awards for their organic dark chocolate, grown in 150 acres of pristine rainforest without the use of pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. They extract their own cocoa butter which is blended with organic sugar and cocoa through a process called conching. This is where the chocolate's unique flavours are developed. Without cocoa butter, chocolate would not have that wonderful creamy, smooth texture. Once all the cocoa butter has been pressed out the remaining hard cocoa matter is ground down to make chocolate powder. Their website is well worth a visit as the whole chocolate making process is discussed in detail.

I love the artistic, simple, but effective design which really conjures up what you'd expect to find if you ever visited the island. Even though there are a number of different colours used the packaging is printed on 50% recycled/25% post-consumer-waste stock with vegetable based inks.


The Chocolate: All their chocolate is produced in small batches using Trinitario cocoa beans, famous for their complex flavours. This particular chocolate has a 71% cocoa content. Incidentally the outer wrapper is a thick and luxurious bronze affair which adequately protects the bar on its long journey to the UK. The bar is a lovely brown colour and is well presented apart from a few holes on the surface but overall it looks bright and very enticing. The aroma is positively intoxicating as you breath in the rich fruity aromas of the famous Trinitario beans. If you shut your eyes and breath deeply you can almost imagine that you can smell the woody rainforest floor.

This is one of the chunkiest bars I've experienced in a long time. Don't stick it in the fridge unless your dentures are well secured! It has great depth of flavour with only a hint of bitterness and an exquisite slightly sweet citrus flavour that lingers on and on. Overall I give this bar 8/10 for its distinctive flavours. I purchased this bar from Waitrose, priced at £2.85 for an 85g bar.


To fine out more about The Grenada Chocolate Company, click here