Time for Some Lingo: Single-Origin Chocolate
|
|
Time to read 2 min
What Does Single-Origin Chocolate Mean?
Simply put, the term single-origin, or origin-made tells you where the cacao in your chocolate bar comes from. It’s really that simple: all the cacao used to make a given bar was harvested from one specific origin.Â
If you wish to travel further down the rabbit hole, you come to realize that the origin could be a specific country, but it could even be a specific region, farm, or co-op. But the bottom line is that the cacao isn’t blended from multiple origins.
Origins and Flavors
In our Beginner's Guide to Craft Chocolate, we describe craft chocolate as being rooted in transparent, ethical sourcing and flavor. Knowing where the cacao comes from not only reflects those values but also highlights the chocolate's unique flavor profile, in the same way one would distinguish coffee or wine grapes by their origin.
You might have heard the term terroir if you’re into wine. This refers to the environment and agricultural conditions where grapes were grown and although much less commonly used when talking about cacao, terroir – soil, climate, rainfall, and elevation, just to name a few – all impact the flavors you taste in a finished craft chocolate bar.
By comparison, most mass-produced chocolate brands use blended cacao, meaning the beans come from multiple countries or even multiple regions. Blending ensures a more consistent flavor profile at a larger scale. There is nothing inherently wrong with using blended cacao but it prioritizes consistency of taste over showcasing the distinct tasting notes and personality of beans from a specific region.
WATCH:Â Dylan (Manoa Chocolate) explains single-origin vs. single-estate on Craft Chocolate TV
Valley Isle Chocolate Big Island Mac Nut 70% Dark Chocolate (Origin: Esmeraldas, Ecuador)
A key thing to remember is that where the cacao was grown is not necessarily where the chocolate was made. In fact, more often than not, these are two different places.
Sometimes, the packaging on a bar will only specify where the chocolate was manufactured, not where it was grown. Many chocolate makers source beans from cacao farms around the world and import them into their own chocolate-making facilities elsewhere in the world. This is different from origin, so avoid making assumptions about a chocolate bar’s flavor profile or quality based solely on where the bar was manufactured. When in doubt, ask the maker or a member of our team at The Chocolate Dispensary to learn where the cacao was sourced to produce that particular chocolate bar.
One point of confusion - many chocolate makers and professionals often use "single-origin" as shorthand for a plain chocolate bar without inclusions. But in reality, single-origin only describes where the cacao comes from - not whether the bar contains additional ingredients. A single-origin bar can absolutely include things like fruit, spices or nuts, while still maintaining its single-origin designation.
TL;DR: Chocolate that is origin-made means the cacao is both grown and processed into finished chocolate all within the same cacao-producing country or region. Origin-made can be as broad as a specific country, but can also be as specific as farm-to-bar or tree-to-bar. While great chocolate can be made anywhere, origin-made chocolate is particularly meaningful because the value created throughout the end-to-end chocolate-making process stays within the local community’s economy.
Once you start paying attention to origin, you’ll begin to see how each region has their own story to tell and unique flavors to share. Interested in learning more? Click here for the 1-minute lesson from Kala!
