Limited Release, Yasica Especial

Yasica Especial is a Limited Release single-origin dark chocolate bar from Goodnow Farms, crafted from a single sack of ancient Nicaragua Criollo beans grown by farmer Giff Laube along the Yasica river. The bar's debut vintage won Best in Competition at the Northwest Chocolate Festival. Production is intentionally small, with beans roasted and conched under minute-by-minute taste monitoring.

At a glance

• Vendor: Goodnow Farms Chocolate
• Style: Single-origin, bean-to-bar dark chocolate
• Origin: Yasica river region, Nicaragua
• Genetics: Ancient Nicaragua Criollo (USDA-verified "Laube 1" tree)
• Farmer: Giff Laube, propagated by hand-grafting over nearly a decade
• Bean color: White beans that dry to light brown
• Production: Very limited release from a single sack of dried cacao
• Award: Best in Competition, Northwest Chocolate Festival (debut vintage)

Best for

• Craft chocolate collectors and tasting clubs
• Bean-to-bar enthusiasts who chase rare genetics
• Side-by-side tastings against other single-origin bars
• Memorable gifts for serious chocolate lovers
• Special-occasion desserts and pairings
• Anyone curious to taste cacao tied to ancient Latin American varieties

Flavor profile

• Sweet Concord grapes (grape jelly)
• Juicy strawberries
• Honey
• Cashews

Pairings

• Tawny port, late-harvest riesling, or a sweeter sherry
• Espresso or single-origin pour-over coffee
• Fresh strawberries and honeyed ricotta
• Aged gouda or manchego for a sweet-savory plate

About Goodnow Farms Chocolate

Goodnow Farms is a Massachusetts bean-to-bar maker that sources cacao directly from farmers, freshly presses its own single-origin cocoa butter, and crafts award-winning chocolate from raw bean to finished bar.

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