Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador 70% 2023 Batch 1 Single-Origin Chocoladereep

Crystal really nailed the balance here—the fermentation gives it a deep cocoa richness that still lets those subtle fruit notes peek through. I’ve been slowly savoring this bar, and each square tastes a bit different.

I wasn't expecting the fruit notes to come through so clearly in a 70% bar, but there's a real brightness behind the chocolatey base. Knowing it's from Freddy Salazar's estate and a first batch makes it feel like a small piece of something special.

Crystal's first bar profile really shows — the fruit notes come through without fighting the deeper cocoa, and nothing tastes sharp or rushed. I've had a lot of single-origin bars and this one has a cleaner finish than most.