Esmeraldas

Award-winning single-origin Ecuadorian dark chocolate bar made from Nacional hybrid cacao grown on the Salazar family farm in Esmeraldas. Over 100 acres of carefully cultivated Nacional hybrid trees provide enough volume for the family to manage their own fermentation and drying, producing beans of exceptional quality. Crafted with freshly pressed Esmeraldas cocoa butter for intense single-origin smoothness.

At a glance

• Origin: Esmeraldas region, Ecuador
• Single-origin dark chocolate, bean to bar
• Nacional hybrid cacao trees, over 100 acres
• Salazar family farm with on-site fermentation and drying
• Custom roast and five-day conche profile
• Very low acidity, well balanced
• Freshly pressed single-origin Esmeraldas cocoa butter
• Tasting notes: blueberry, blackberry, cabernet grapes

Best for

• Fans of berry-forward dark chocolate
• Wine lovers and red-wine pairing enthusiasts
• Single-origin tasting flights with South American cacao
• Gifts for serious chocolate connoisseurs
• Premium dessert pairings and dinner-party finales
• Holiday and curated gourmet gift baskets

Pairings

Savor with a Cabernet Sauvignon or a late-bottled vintage port to mirror the dark fruit. A natural-process Ethiopian coffee enhances the berry notes, and a creamy blue cheese makes a striking contrast.

Flavor profile

Bold and jammy with deep blueberry and blackberry character recalling cabernet grapes. Low acidity keeps it round; the freshly pressed cocoa butter delivers a long, smooth finish.

About Goodnow Farms Chocolate

Goodnow Farms is a Massachusetts bean-to-bar maker known for direct sourcing, custom fermentation partnerships, and pressing their own single-origin cocoa butter, one of very few craft chocolate makers in the country to do so.

Made by Goodnow Farms Chocolate, based in Sudbury, Massachusetts.