Colombia Antioquia

Region and Country

Antioquia, Colombia

Story

Once a net importer of cacao to satisfy the demands of its big domestic chocolate industry, Colombia has grown to become an active exporter of cacao products and cocoa beans. Nowadays, Colombia is actively seeking to bring cacao to the same legendary levels as its coffee. FEDECACAO (the Colombian Federation of Cacao), the Red de Cacao, and other cacao organizations have been supporting efforts to plot genetic varieties in the country, improve genetic stocks and to further improve fermentation and drying techniques in areas where it is needed. This cacao is collected in Maceo, a small cacao growing town in Antioquia, from its central fermentary and from smallholder farmers who ferment and dry their cacao individually. Cacao from this region is consistently low in cadmium.

Harvest

December - January; July- August (crop peaks)

Genetics

Local Trinitario hybrids distributed from the local FEDECACAO nurseries

Post Harvesting Process

Cacao is fermented in wooden boxes in a period of 5 to 7 days and put to dry on wooden tables in solar tunnels or on stacked wooden drying trays.

Flavour

Notes of cocoa, citrus, dry fruit and walnuts