As a chocolate lover, I’m always in search of new brands and flavors to try. I came across these River-Sea truffles when I was browsing the Seek Chocolate Shop website. Taking a quick glance at the River-Sea Chocolates website, there’s a lot I like about the company. I like their origin story and that there’s a poem on their “About me” page. I love their adorable mascot, Coco the sloth. I have tried a couple of their bars in the past: the angel food white chocolate and the salted caramel milk chocolate, both also from Seek Chocolate Shop.
About River-Sea Chocolates
River-Sea Chocolates was founded in 2017 by Krissee and Mariano D’Aguiar in Northern Brazil, where they realized that chocolate could connect their life in DC with their community in Brazil. They wanted to provide income opportunities in an eco-friendly way that preserves the rainforest’s plant canopy and wildlife. The couple recognized their mission to make chocolate from the moment they made their first batch. Krissee specializes in bean-to-bar chocolate making and is a graduate of Ecole Chocolat – Professional School of Chocolate Arts. Mariano’s specialties include import and export logistics and finance, as well as fermentation and farm outreach. The company’s name, “River-Sea,” represents where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic Sea, where their chocolate journey began.
Packaging
The packaging is simple. It was a sturdy, brown craft box decorated with a sticker of their logo and a rose gold elastic ribbon. It feels very down-to-earth and warm. While I think it could be more on-brand and unique, I think the simple packaging is effective in making what’s most important shine: the gorgeous truffles. My purchase also came with a little brochure that talks about the company, explains the origin of the ingredients, and has a QR code leading to their truffle gallery.
Appearance
The truffles are of an organically-shaped square. They are topped with gorgeous designs that hint at the flavors inside. At first, I thought that they were hand painted but then I realized the designs were produced using chocolate transfer sheets. Chocolate transfer sheets are thin, flexible sheets with cocoa butter designs that can be transferred to the surface of chocolate or other confections. Nevertheless, they are artistic and almost too beautiful to eat.
The Truffles
Inside, there were 5 truffles inside and these were their flavors:
- Cherry Blossom – Milk Chocolate Ganache
- Butterbeer – Milk Chocolate Ganache
- Orange Vanilla – Milk Chocolate Ganache
- Dark Violet Cheesecake – Dark Chocolate Ganache.
- Mint Julep – Dark Chocolate Ganache
I like the variety of flavors. They are unique and definitely not boring! The truffles also smell amazing, like real high-quality ingredients, not artificial or synthetic. The aroma was so enticing and helped set the expectation for an extraordinary tasting experience.
Cherry Blossom – Milk Chocolate Ganache
Like having a picnic in a Japanese cherry blossom park during peak bloom. I can definitely taste the cherry blossoms as well as other subtle floral notes like rose and lavender.
Butterbeer – Milk Chocolate Ganache
The taste reminds me of Soma Chocolatemaker’s brown butter rum milk chocolate. It tastes sweet, and creamy, with notes of butterscotch, caramel, and vanilla, reminiscent of a cream soda or a buttery, warm pudding.
Orange Vanilla – Milk Chocolate Ganache
I can taste the real orange and the hint of high-quality vanilla beans and warm spices. The sweetness reminds me of orange marmalade or Korean citron honey tea.
Dark Violet Cheesecake – Dark Chocolate Ganache
This smells so good! It really smells like a romantic violet garden full of dainty and fragrant violets. This is my favorite flavor so far. The floral taste envelops your tongue in the first few seconds and then you get the creaminess and tang of a baked cheesecake after.
Mint Julep – Dark Chocolate Ganache
This milk chocolate ganache smells like a bright and refreshing herb garden, like lemonade on a hot summer day. It’s like the Mint Julep cocktail in chocolate truffle form, with a taste that perfectly captures the Southern tradition.
Are the River-Sea Truffles High-Quality?
The truffles are made from the finest base ingredients: wild Brazilian cacao, organic Californian milk, sustainable Brazilian cane sugar, and real white chocolate from premium beans. Additional ingredients include real fruits. Organic butter, raw honey, pure extracts, and teas. The quality of this truffle is much superior to those that use oil flavorings. Truffles made from oil flavorings have an artificial and synthetic taste to them. Because of the high-quality real ingredients, these truffles should be eaten within 10 days for maximum freshness.
Is River-Sea Ethical?
River-Sea Chocolate is committed to promoting environmental sustainability and social responsibility through various initiatives and actions. One of these initiatives is Project SUP, which supports Amazon River cleanup and funds eco-fitness programs for low-income children. River-Sea Chocolate also aims to reduce its carbon footprint by using sail transport to ship its sustainably harvested cocoa beans, such as those from the Sierra Nevada in Colombia and Zorzal in the Dominican Republic. Additionally, the company collaborates with indigenous farmers and international projects to promote wildlife conservation and sustainable development in the cacao industry, such as in Reserva Zorzal. By supporting River-Sea Chocolate, customers are helping to make a positive impact on the environment and the communities it works with.
Suggestions
Even though there’s a lot I love about the River-Sea truffles, I have a couple of observations. For example, the design on the Dark Violet Cheesecake was not as crisp as the others, the lines seemed too thick. Also, the butterflies in the Butterbeer Milk Chocolate Ganache seem really faint. I also noticed that the Mint Julep Ganache was not in the Truffle Gallery. I had to browse through their Instagram feed to find out the flavor of the truffle.
Conclusion
In conclusion, River-Sea truffles are an exceptional product made with high-quality and sustainably-sourced ingredients. The variety of unique and delicious flavors, coupled with their beautiful appearance and enticing aroma, make them an excellent gift or indulgence for oneself.
Not only do these truffles taste amazing, but the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility through various initiatives and actions adds to its appeal. River-Sea Chocolate is a company that customers can feel good about supporting while satisfying their sweet tooth. Overall, if you’re looking for a decadent treat that makes a positive impact, River-Sea Truffles are definitely worth trying.
Chocolate Scorecard
| Packaging | 3/5 | Simple, sturdy, brown craft box decorated with a sticker of the company’s logo and a rose gold elastic ribbon Effective in highlighting the beauty of the truffles. |
| Appearance | 4/5 | Organic square-shaped truffles Topped with beautiful designs created using chocolate transfer sheets |
| Flavor | 4.8/5 | I enjoyed every single flavor – which is quite rare Light but complex |
| Mouthfeel | 4.5/5 | Buttery Would like some more textures |
| Quality | 5/5 | Uses the finest ingredients: wild Brazilian cacao, organic Californian milk, sustainable Brazilian cane sugar, and real white chocolate from premium beans, as well as the additions of real fruits, organic butter, raw honey, pure extracts, and teas |
| Ethics | 5/5 | River-Sea Chocolate promotes environmental sustainability and social responsibility Supports Project SUP for Amazon River cleanup and eco-fitness programs Reduces carbon footprint by using sail transport for cocoa beans Collaborates with indigenous farmers and international projects for wildlife conservation and sustainable development |
| Overall | 4.46/5 |
Where can you buy River-Sea Truffles?
Should you buy River-Sea Truffles?
Yes, these are at the top of the list of my favorite truffles, maybe second only to Bon Bon Bon.
Chocolate Information
| Brand | River-Sea Truffles |
| Description | These are no ordinary truffles. Made with sustainably grown fine cacao combined with handcrafted artisanal fillings, ganache, or caramel. Made with all-natural or organic ingredients. Experience a bonbon that lifts you on a journey to foodie heaven, transposed with the best food karma in the business. Contains an assortment of what we have in stock. Please leave a comment with any dietary restrictions (like no nuts, no alcohol, no cinnamon, etc) |
| Chocolate Type | Milk Chocolate, 65% Dark Chocolate |
| Cost | $14.99 – $16.00 |
| Made in | Chantilly, VA, USA |
| Ingredients | N/A |
| Allergens | All of our chocolate is made gluten and soy free. (Cacao butter paint used on truffles may contain traces of soy.) |
Nutrition Facts N/A
Have you tried anything from River-Sea before? How was your experience? I really want to try their chocolate painting kit but it has been sold out for a while. What other chocolates would you like me to review? Let me know in the comments below.
