With the growing demand for quality ingredients to be as direct to source as possible, avoiding any outside alterations as possible, it’s no suprise that chocolate would be a product that comes top of the list. It’s essentially chocolate coming from one variety of cacao and harvested in one region, making the chocolate purer, more traceable and utterly delicious. One compnay that knows this process all too well is CasaLuker, expert chocolate producers since 1906.
Quite often wine, coffee, and even textiles experts talk about regions and particular characteristics of certain products depending on their region of origin. Wine connoisseurs boast about particular wineries, different types of grapes, etc. Recent years have seen the characterization of coffee according to its origin with an interest in different flavours and characteristics from specific regions developed over the last decade. For example, today’s markets are flooded with coffee from Colombia, Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam, among many others. This trend has now migrated to the world of chocolate with a peculiar concept, that of single origin chocolate.
Chocolate has varied flavours that are influenced by everything from genetics, the region where it is grown, and the farming and post-harvest practices, as well as roasting and refining. The concept of single origin chocolate has gained popularity, and now, customers and clients can even trace a specific single origin chocolate product to its roots and determine where it comes from and the specific notes and tones it presents.
Santander, Huila, Tumaco and Arauca are four Colombian regions from which the CasaLuker Company has developed a range of Single Origin Chocolates made with Cacao Fino de Aroma each with a specific flavour that reflects the country’s geographic and cultural diversity. CasaLuker understands the importance of preserving the diversity of the Fine Flavour cocoa—Trinitarian varieties with different aromas and flavours—around the country. That’s why it works, not only to develop a single origin portfolio that shows the best examples of this diversity, but also to support the farmers, teaching them how to preserve the Fine Flavour quality. Farmers are trained to identify and choose the best tree varieties in terms of yield and uniqueness of flavour and to understand the importance of the post-harvesting process to maintain the quality of the beans, thus improving the reputation of and the demand for Colombian cacao. This is undertaken by the R&D department together with a highly qualified Agricultural Development team all supported by the scientific work undertaken at Granja Luker, the Luker Farm, one of the biggest cocoa research centres in cocoa in Colombia.
Following are some of the regions that exalt the virtues of the Colombian cocoas and chocolates:
Santander|Cocoa is cultivated in the Andes mountain range and the cocoa that’s developed in this region has a delicate aroma, with sweet and acid notes. It is known for its exotic combination of fruity, herbal and spicy flavours that complement the intensity of the cocoa.
Tumaco | In the tropical forests of the Pacific Coast, is known for its delightfully balanced flavour with subtle fruity and floral notes, with defined cocoa notes, and a hint of acidity. Experts define Tumaco’s chocolate as a product with exquisite character with a defined aroma and taste, typical of Colombian cocoa, that gives the ultimate expression in Extra Dark Chocolates.
Huila| Variety is a typical cocoa from the southwest region’s deep valleys of Colombia. This is an exotic type of chocolate, with a mild aroma and fruity flavour. It has the strength of an extra-dark chocolate, and the mildness of a semi-sweet cocoa, resulting in a sensorial balance that evokes the essence of this warm region.
Arauca | Cocoa grows in wild landscapes, between the snow-capped mountains and valleys of the Orinoco in this diverse region. This cocoa brings together a variety of flavours that represent the essence of Fino de Aroma cocoas: a predominant acidity, and an exotic flavour of red berries, honey, jasmine, and spices. Its citric acidity and the delicate cocoa tones are perfect for those looking for a sensorial experience of a cocoa with a Trinitarian and Fine Flavour profile.
CasaLuker and Colombia are working on highlighting the fine quality and authenticity of Colombian cacaos, which are now finding their place on international markets. Chocolate producers and connoisseurs, food ingredients experts and industrial companies are including these chocolates in their creations and, without knowing it, supporting the Colombian cacao farmers and helping the country to maintain its Fine Flavour cocoa varieties.
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