Learn about cacao
Short articles for everyone who wants to know cacao more deeply: where it grows, who grows it and how it tastes. We begin with Peru, where cacao began.
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Why Peru is the birthplace of cacaoAncient pottery from the Peruvian Amazon carries the oldest traces of cacao use on Earth. Here is how cacao began in Peru and travelled the world.
How Peruvian cacao is fermented and driedFrom pod to bean: how Peruvian farmers ferment cacao in tornillo wood boxes and dry it slowly in sun and shade to keep its fruit and flower notes.
Which Peruvian cacao for your ceremony?Soft and sweet, silky and floral, or wild and herbal: how to choose a Peruvian cacao that fits your ceremony.Peruvian cacao origins
The north coast: Piura's white-bean cacaos
Piura, dry north-west coastPiura White cacaoCitrus and ripe dark fruit, a touch of panela sugar, malt and nuts; medium acidity, almost no bitterness
Piura, north-west coastChulucanas cacaoRed fruit, citrus, flower pollen and honey; low tannins, medium acidity
Piura, north-west coast (higher valleys)Salitral cacaoTangerine and raspberry turning nutty, with mild panela; medium acidityThe northern jungle: Amazonas and San Martín
Amazonas, northern Amazon jungleAwajún cacaoLong and layered, moving from fruit to nuts
San Martín, northern jungle (Chazuta)MacamboMacadamia and cashew with a hint of toasted almondThe central jungle: VRAE, Satipo, Pangoa and Tsiriari
Valley of the Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro rivers (Junín, Ayacucho, Cusco)VRAE cacaoSoursop, mandarin and custard apple, with floral and herbal notes
Satipo, Junín, central jungle (edge of VRAE)Satipo cacaoFruity and floral with clear herbal notes
Pangoa, Junín, VRAEPangoa cacaoFruity and floral, like a spoon of jam, with herbal notes
Junín, central jungle (VRAE)Tsiriari cacaoDeeply herbal: forest, olives and ferns, then raisin, grapefruit and butterscotch
Cusco, Urubamba valley (La Convención)Chuncho cacao