HEIRLOOM CACAO PRESERVATION FUND
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12 Best Chocolates of 2021

The Heirloom Cacao Preservation Funds (HCP's) Heirloom designated cacao beans are the diamonds of the cacao tree, producing the finest flavor. They are endowed with a combination of historic, cultural, botanical, geographical and flavor value that is the foundation of the best tasting chocolate. Meet a few of our HCP designees and the exquisite chocolate made with their cacao.
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1. HCP #2 Tranquilidad Estate
Beni, Boliva

Chocolate Tasting Note: Striking initial chocolate and combined tart fruit.  Fruit has floral overtones - slightly spicy, resinous with green notes.  Has a trace of vanilla character.  Extremely complex with a mix of chocolate, fresh citrus and aged fruits. 
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​Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made with their Heirloom designated cacao!
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2. HCP #3 Hacienda Limon
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Los Rios, Ecuador

Chocolate Tasting Note: Complex nutty and caramel/honey/malt notes dominate with a smooth background with some mild red fruit notes and a slight sour cherry/yogurt vanilla note. 

Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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3. HCP #5 ASOANE
Cocoa Farmers Association
Puerto Quito, Ecuador

Chocolate Tasting Notes: Has a very complex finish that is balanced and long lasting with chocolate being dominant and a velvety chocolate astringency.  Pronounced chocolate start is augmented with caramel and nutty notes.  Mid-taste brings in mild fruit acidity. 

Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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4. HCP #6 Terciopelo Cacao
​Coto Brus, Costa Rica

Chocolate Tasting Notes: Early fresh fruit acidity that brings out berries, currants and raspberries.  This is followed by a smooth balance chocolate note that combines a citrus and under ripe mango with the chocolate notes.  
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Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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5. HCP #7 Maya Mountain Cacao
Farmer Network: Villages of San Antonio, Santa Cruz, Santa Elena, and Pueblo Viejo, Belize

Chocolate Tasting Notes: Balanced, complex, smooth flavor segues from mild fresh fruit acidity driving fruit notes, chocolate notes, caramelic notes, mild nut notes and mild wood and green floral notes.  The complexity of this sample is dramatic.  All of the notes are present without becoming muddled together. 

Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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6. HCP #8 Nicalizo®
Municipios de La Dalia, El Cua, Bocay departamento de Jinotega, Nicaragua

Chocolate Tasting Notes: The flavor is an immediate burst of fresh fruit brightness of citric and tart red fruits, maybe a slight pineapple note. These yield themselves to a smooth dried fruit, slightly green banana note.  nut and mild nut skin notes become apparent along with a mild oak/light wood character. 

Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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7. HCP #9 To'ak 
Nacional cacao, Piedra de Plata, Ecuador

Chocolate Tasting Notes: The chocolate has a significant presence, blended with dark fruit/browned fruit and deep molasses and oaky notes, these present with a very mild bitterness and soft, velvety astringency that is captivating. 
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Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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8. HCP #10 Asociacion De Productores Organicos De Vinces Apovinces
Vinces, Ecuador

Chocolate Tasting Notes: Early, mildly tart notes with an acetic and critic character.  Bright overall with notable intensity.  Woody and resinous notes with a mild background astringency.  In the background, some dark fruit notes with what seems like a finish of trace nutmeg and cinnamon and tobacco spice. 
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Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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9. HCP #12 Chuno® 
San Jose de Bocay, Departamento de Jinotega, Nicaragua

Chocolate Tasting Notes: The flavor is an immediate brush of a fresh fruit salad - begins with an evanescent brown fruit then shifts to a red fruit and mixed tropical fruit character with ripe plums, berries, red currant accompanied by a fruit bowl of mango, apricot and pineapple.  Mid-taste displays the beginnings of a honey/light molasses.  The end finishes with hints of a vanilla and mocha character. 

Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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10. HCP #14 Tujikomboe Farmers Group
Kyela District, Tanzania 

Chocolate Tasting Notes: Immediate presence of a rich chocolate note with an early fruit acidity presence - immediately following the chocolate blending in tart fresh fruits - a note that will persist throughout the profile.  Complex with the base chocolate of Amelonado from Africa. 

Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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11. HCP #15 Akesson's Bejofo Estate
Sambirano Valley, Madagascar

Chocolate Tasting Notes: There is an immediate burst of a fresh tart citric fruit.  The center taste has the emergence of a mild cocoa/chocolate note, but immediately supplanted by the same nut note as in the aroma along with some mildly astringent nut skins that are connected with a mild pepper piquancy.  Throughout this taste profile, there is an overlay of a caramelized sugar note.  

Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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12. HCP #16 Malagos Chocolate
Puentespina Farms, Malagos, Baguio District, Davao City

Chocolate Tasting Notes: Smooth, even melt texture - silky and sensuous feel.  Smooth rise of the chocolate blended with mildly tart fresh berry and citrus fruits.  Includes yellow flesh fruit notes as well.  Center taste has a sweet caramel character blended in with a smooth mild chocolate.  Later taste has a nut butter character that is perhaps also contributing to the silky smooth mouth feel. 

Click here to learn more about the chocolate farmer, their beans and where to buy chocolate made from their Heirloom designated cacao!
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  • About Us
    • About HCP
    • How HCP Works
    • What is Heirloom Cacao?
    • Leadership
    • Meet Our Partners
    • HCP in Action >
      • HCP in Action
      • Annual Report
  • Our Heirloom Farmers
    • Our Heirloom Farmers
    • HCP Documentaries
    • Designee Login
  • Adopt A Cacao Tree
  • Donate
  • Buy Heirloom Chocolate
    • US Retailers
    • International Retailers
  • Apply to the HCP