Peering through the cellophane wrapper is another thinly molded tablet, showing good temper and no anterior defects whatsoever. The color presents no surprises, it being a dark but purplish shade reflecting its constituent chocolates provocatively. Aroma, too, borrows elements from its components and essentially delivers the best of both (or all in this case) worlds. An olive focal point is present, then cranberries and a strength evocative of the Fortissima blend that adds the necessary backbone. Overall, it’s more similar to Los Ancones, just stronger.
As promising as the aroma was, the flavor simply fails to match its intensity and balance, disappointing with a monotone profile that offers no variation. Peaches and cranberries serve as top notes, but Fortissima simply dominates with a woody/smoky overkill that by itself is not so bad but when blended with other chocolates arouses some concerns about its ability to harmonize well. The flavor, representing Fortissima, therefore seems like a muted version of that chocolate, which already was relatively mild on its own.
The texture is creamy and smooth, deflating the flavor in some ways since this level of refinement seems to underscore the subtlety of the flavor and essentially add insult to injury. While Fortissima may be a milder chocolate despite its 80% cocoa content it is still too strong for the lower, albeit assertive, 67% of Los Ancones and thus dominates this blend. Some minor fruitiness does escape its tyranny, though, but its effect is only minimal and the end result is a washed out Fortissima-like chocolate that Hachez would envy. But this is the inherent danger involved when blending similarly flavored chocolates.
