Askinosie is an American brand I knew only through the chocolate community. Lucky me to find a fresh batch of these great gourmet bars in London at Selfridges!
The Mexican variety “Soconusco” is said to be the first cacao bean variety cultivated by man. Though that would make me guess that both bars are rare Criollo beans, the Askinosie wrap says his beans are from the Trinitario family, which doesn’t really seems correct with his statements… confusing.
Let’s get tasting!
The Askinosie has a brown paper wrapper that refers to his artisanship, and the bar has a nice red toned brown color and is well molded.
A good snappy bite starts us up, giving fruity hints, tones of red fruit starting slowly, getting stronger and richer in the same tones, combining and melting down really nice, though tiny bit gritty near the end, leaving a bodied darker tone of tobacco or so. I think there’s really something nice going on at the US artisan chocolate scene, exciting bar!
The Bonnat Xoconuzco bar is a couple of months old but still in well shape, and won his previous battle. This Bonnat signature bar comes with a green wrapper, different from the usual wrappers. Its color is darker than the Askinosie, less red. Taste comes a little faster in this bar, doesn’t evolve as much. Also tastes rather different with more cinnamon, raisins, orange flavors, I’d say, but always sustained with a chocolate carpet. The house Bonnat experiments little, but you may be sure you‘ll get an excellent bar every time, that surely demonstrates his passion and experience.
In the end I’d take home the Askinosie Soconusco bar. I like its vivid style and very nice flavor curve. It melts down really fluidly, and well … this time I simply ended up with more fun putting the Askinosie on the palate 
