Mindo Chocolate Makers Celtic Sea Salt

My sister brought me a Mindo chocolate bar about 2 years ago and I enjoyed it, so when I saw the brand again while shopping in Ann Arbor, MI, I had to pick up another bar. This time, I went with the Celtic Sea Salt. Chocolates from Mindo Chocolate Makers are sold mainly out of Michigan with some limited distribution outside of the state.

You can read all about the company and their products on their website, but definitely try their chocolate if you get a chance. It really speaks for itself!

The best word I can use describe the taste of this bar is "rustic." I don't mean that in a bad way - there is just something about the flavor and the texture that lets you know it was made with care. The chocolate itself was bitter and delicious. The bitterness reminded me a bit of coffee, and it didn't have any fruity notes.

The dark chocolate paired well with the warmth provided by the sea salt. The bar was well balanced overall and melted smoothly to a clean finish. I don't have a whole lot to say except that this was a really great bar! I don't often get up to Michigan, but the next time I do, I will definitely look out for more Mindo.

A

Mindo website

Mindo Cinnamon Rustic Chocolate Bar

My sister and her husband showered me with chocolate this Christmas, including this pretty Mindo Chocolate bar. Mindo is a single origin chocolate company that operates out of Ecuador and Michigan. Take a look at that ingredients list - just the good stuff.

The Cinnamon Rustic bar is a dark chocolate bar (the percentage isn't given, but everything on Mindo's website seems to be either 67 or 77%) with a pretty cinnamon/white chocolate garnish in the center. The bars were also given a lovely dusting of demerera sugar.

The chocolate smelled of cinnamon and dark-roasted coffee beans, and it tasted very fruity with just a bit of acidity (almost like a raspberry). I'm not sure if there was any cinnamon in the bulk chocolate, but I couldn't taste it. The drizzle was sweet and creamy with a mildly spicy cinnamon flavor. Cinnamon can be overpowering, but I wish the cinnamon had been a little stronger, or that the drizzle had been uniform across the whole bar (it looks better on the website).

The bar had an interesting texture. There were sugar crystals throughout the chocolate that gave it a grainy crunch (in a good way - maybe that's what makes it "rustic"). The bar itself had a nice snap and a smooth melt. It had a clean finish with no stickiness or lingering aftertaste. The bites that had both drizzle and chocolate were the best; I just wish there had been more of those bites.

A-

Mindo Chocolate website