Introduction
Definite Chocolate’s 50% Florencio Ortega Milk chocolate is the first chocolate bar I tried from my Bar and Cacao haul. I was drawn to it because it was a single-origin handmade chocolate from the Dominican Republic and at that point, I have never seen single-origin milk chocolate before. The packaging even tells us the exact place the organic cacao beans were grown – Florencio Ortega, a third-generation family business located in La Piragua, Espaillat province.
Packaging
Just from the packaging, you can tell that this is craft chocolate. The packaging was so well-designed, both in aesthetics and functionality. The gold, royal blue, and sky blue used on the packaging complement each other well and give the overall packaging an air of luxury. I was a fan of the simple but elegant butterfly and flower shapes used in the packaging as well. The packaging tells us a lot about the bar and the company without it being overwhelming. I also like that the texts are written in both English and Spanish.
The Definite chocolate bar came wrapped in a resealable clear plastic sleeve. This choice was not eco-friendly but I think it does help the chocolate stay fresh longer. Since the chocolate bar does not have any preservatives or emulsifiers, perhaps plastic packaging is necessary. I do hope that they find a more sustainable alternative.
Appearance
The chocolate bar itself features butterflies dispersed artistically instead of a generic chocolate mold. I am a big fan of this design. It is one of the most beautiful molds I have ever seen. I was a little disappointed that the chocolate bar color was not uniform as you can see from the pictures. However, this does not take away much from the overall experience.
Aroma
The aroma of the Definite dark milk chocolate bar reminded me of high-quality roasted cacao nibs. The cacao smell was so complex and strong that from smell alone, one might mistake this bar as a bar of dark chocolate if not for the subtle caramel and nutty notes that lighten up the aroma overall.
Flavor
On my first bite, I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor of the chocolate bar. It was sweeter than I thought it would be considering it was 50% dark milk chocolate. I have had 40% milk chocolate that was not as sweet. I like my chocolate pretty sweet so I enjoyed it but if you don’t, I would suggest against getting this and getting their higher percentage offerings instead.
The chocolate bar had very strong notes of caramel and almonds. I was so surprised by how much of the caramel flavor comes through considering the ingredients of the chocolate bar were only organic cacao beans, cacao butter, sugar cane, and milk powder. There is also a very slight bitterness that I find quite pleasant. I can tell that the ingredients were high-quality because a flavor like this can only be achieved by high-quality ingredients and exceptional mastery of chocolate.
In fact, they mentioned a little bit about the process of the packaging. Fermentation of the cacao beans was done in wooden boxes for 7 days, followed by solar drying for 8 days. The cacao beans are then cleaned by hand and only the best beans are used for the chocolate bars.
Mouthfeel
The texture is smoother than mass-produced chocolate but a little coarser than other craft chocolates I’ve tried. It does melt in your mouth very quickly.
Is Definite Chocolate Ethical?
I love that it pinpoints the exact farm the beans came from and tells the story of the family that runs the farm. That was really wholesome and special. It is unique since it was the first time I saw it in a chocolate bar.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I was immensely impressed by this single-origin dark milk chocolate bar. It is one of my favorite chocolate bars I tried this year. It was genuinely difficult to stop eating it. I also love that it’s soy-free, gluten-free, and lecithin-free.
I’ve also used it in gourmet smores (with Trader Joe’s cinnamon graham crackers and Hammonds vanilla bean homemade marshmallows) and it was the most delicious smores I’ve ever had. Just truly divine!
Chocolate Scorecard
| Packaging | 5/5 | Innovative packagingDistinctive branding Luxurious |
| Appearance | 4/5 | Beautiful custom butterfly modeColor was not even |
| Flavor | 5/5 | Sweet with tasting notes of caramel and almonds |
| Aroma | 5/5 | Roasted cacao nibs with subtle notes of nuts and caramel |
| Mouthfeel | 4/5 | Smooth but not as smooth as other craft chocolate bars |
| Quality | 5/5 | The exceptional quality of ingredients and processing |
| Ethics | 4/5 | Works directly with farmersUses plastic in their packaging |
| Overall | 4.6/5 |
Where can you buy the Definite Chocolate Villa Altagracia 50% Milk Chocolate bar?
I bought my bar from Bar & Cocoa. Check out my Bar and Cocoa review to read about my experience shopping in the largest online chocolate marketplace in the US.
Should you buy the Definite Chocolate Villa Altagracia 50% Milk Chocolate bar?
Yes. If you like milk chocolate and caramel but don’t enjoy intense sweetness, you should try it at least once in your life. It is also perfect for you if you are gluten-free. Most pure chocolates are gluten-free but it is more reassuring since this chocolate bar has the gluten-free certification.
Chocolate Information
Brand: Definite Chocolate
Description: The cacao for this dark milk chocolate bar comes from Florencio Ortega. This small farmer is in the Espaillat province on the foothills of the Septentrional mountain range, a perfect location for growing cacao. The family is growing cacao for over 80 years and it all started with passionate Don Florencio who saw his farm as a gift from nature, always respecting the environment and natural cycles.
Cocoa percentage: 50%
Cost: $8.50
Cacao origin: Dominican Republic
Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, cacao butter, sugar cane, and milk powder
Allergens: N/A
Nutrition Facts: N/A
This chocolate was reviewed on September 2022.
Have you tried this chocolate bar before? How was your experience? What other chocolates would you like me to review? Let me know in the comments below.
