Costa Esmeraldas is a single estate cacao farm owned by the Salazar family on the NW coast of Ecuador. The steep 100-hectare site is planted with Nacional-Venezolano Amarillo cacao. The pods are transported daily during harvest, beans meticulously fermented and sun-dried at their brand new post-harvest facility close to the farm.
Oranges, limes, lemons, plantain, bananas, guayaba, and papaya are grown interspersed with the cacao to reduce erosion on the steep terrain. Last time we met, Fredy Enrique Salazar passionately explained, “We also grow fruit because it feeds everyone on the farm”. Their land is beautiful—lush namesake emerald green hills layered in every direction.
Origin: Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Cacao content: 70%
Tasting notes: lemon, bread, cherries, balsamic vinegar, brownies, green bananas
Awards:
International Chocolate Awards
2018 World - Bronze
65g bar
$0.00