Hacienda San Jose 55%

Chokaico is a specialty bean to bar maker based in the United States, dedicated to highlighting the unique heritage of Ecuadorian cacao. Their Hacienda San Jose 55% bar is a focused expression of a single estate located in Babahoyo, Ecuador. By sourcing Arriba Nacional beans directly from this specific farm lot, Chokaico bridges the gap between the lush tropical groves of the Guayas river basin and the precision of modern American craft chocolate making.

This bar occupies the sophisticated space of dark milk chocolate, where the intensity of a 55% cacao content meets the creamy comfort of milk. The Arriba Nacional beans undergo a meticulous 120 hour box fermentation and six days of solar drying to preserve their delicate aromatics. Once in the workshop, Chokaico utilizes a traditional melanger for refining the chocolate to its final texture. The resulting palate is defined by a bright interplay of citrus and fresh fruit, balanced by rich dairy undertones.

Commitment to quality begins at the source and continues through a clean label philosophy. The ingredients are kept remarkably pure, consisting only of cacao beans, cacao butter, cane sugar, and milk powder. There is no lecithin, vanillin, or vegetable fat present, and the cacao is never alkalized. This Fair Trade certified approach has earned the bar significant acclaim, including a Silver award at the International Chocolate Awards Americas and a Bronze from the Academy of Chocolate.