Bourbon Noir with Costa Esmeraldas 70% Dark Chocolate -Muisne, Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador

Bourbon Noir with Costa Esmeraldas 70% Dark Chocolate -2023 Harvest.  50 grams.

Single Estate - Fair Trade - Bean to bar

Cacao provenance: Muisne, Esmeraldas Province - Ecuador.

Our tasting Notes: 

The elegance and depth of Kentucky Bourbon whisky are very present in the aroma and flavor, and, combined with 70% dark chocolate, create a decadence that is long-lasting and beautifully satisfying.

Ingredients: Nacional cacao beans, organic cane sugar and cacao butter.

About this cacao:

The cocoa orchards were established 6 years ago on a former cattle pasture with very steep terrain. The establishment of cocoa, timber, and other fruit trees has reduced erosion on the farm site. Esmeraldas has an unusual climate, with little variation in average temperatures. The region has a relatively short wet season from January to May each year, but during the dry season, the weather is almost always overcast, with light drizzle.

Costa Esmeraldas is a family owned and operated 100-hectare cacao farm. All members of the Salazar family (Fredy, Monica, and siblings Freddy and Indira) actively participate in the business. Freddy is directly responsible for managing operations at the farm and post-harvest center.

Management of the cacao orchards creates over 40 full-time jobs within the local community in rural Esmeraldas.

Fermentation is set up in a five-tiered cascade system. The wood boxes are Cedro (Cedrela odorata) with a 450 kg capacity. The fermenting mass is turned once every 36 hours, and then every morning until fermentation is complete. The total fermentation duration is 5 ½ days.