Trinitario Chocolate
The hybrid where most real-world fine chocolate actually sits. 335 Trinitario bars on Chof, from 110 makers, at an average of 72% cocoa.
Chof's Trinitario bars come mostly from Tanzania, Dominican Republic and Philippines, and every bar lists Trinitario the way its maker states it, not as a verified fact. Tasting notes that come up most often: honey, fruity, caramel, citrus, nuts and floral.
What is Trinitario chocolate?
Trinitario is not one cacao but a whole family of Criollo-and-Amazonian hybrids. It carries some of Criollo's finesse and most of the workhorse's vigour, which is why it grows almost everywhere and why its flavour is the widest of any group, from fresh fruit and berry to nutty, spiced and caramel.
Trinitario is what happens when delicate old Criollo crosses with hardy Amazonian cacao (Motamayor et al., 2008). The result is the most successful compromise in chocolate: enough of Criollo's aromatic finesse to be interesting, enough hybrid vigour to actually grow. That is why it is the most common variety in Chof and grows across the tropics. The name comes from Trinidad, where the cross is usually dated to the eighteenth century, after disease swept the island's Criollo and hardier cacao moved in; the exact date is told differently from source to source, so treat the story as well established in outline, not in detail.
Because Trinitario is a family rather than a single type, its flavour is the widest of any group. A Trinitario from Madagascar and one from the Philippines can taste like completely different fruits. Treat "Trinitario" on a label as a starting hint, not a promise: it tells you the bar probably has some fine-flavour parentage, but the specific cross, origin and maker decide the taste. Some cultivated Trinitario clones even carry more of their Amazonian than their Criollo parentage, another reason the word is a broad hint rather than a precise identity.
How to read a Trinitario claim
Every Trinitario bar on Chof shows the variety as its maker lists it, not as an independently verified fact. Of the 335 that name Trinitario, 92 list it as part of a blend rather than on its own; open any bar to see the full bean line its maker gave.
- Trinitario is an umbrella term, so the useful detail is usually the origin and the maker, not the word itself.
- Many bars labelled "Criollo" are genetically Trinitario, so a "Criollo, Trinitario" blend line is honest labelling worth trusting.
Best Trinitario bars
Ranked by the Chof Score
- Rank 181:
AskinosieDavao White
34%whitePhilippines - Rank 182:
AskinosieDavao 77%
77%darkPhilippines - Rank 183:
Chocolaterie MorinSambirano Noir 70%
70%darkMadagascar - Rank 184:
Original BeansUdzungwa 70% Crunchy Nibs
70%darkTanzania - Rank 185:
Palette de BineTanzanie 72%
72%darkTanzania - Rank 186:
Casa BosquesSea Salt 70%
70%darkMexico - Rank 187:
TableWhite 43%
43%whiteDominican Republic - Rank 188:
AO Cacao88% Single Estate, Pingtung County
88%darkTaiwan - Rank 189:
Kina ChocolatesXocolata Amb Llet 50% Cacau San Martin
50%milkPeru - Rank 190:
Green Bean to Bar ChocolateNativo Blanco - Peru - 73%
73%darkPeru - Rank 191:
FossaPaquibato 73%
73%darkPhilippines - Rank 192:
FossaKokoa Kamili 100%
100%darkTanzania - Rank 193:
chocoMeChuao 100%
100%darkVenezuela - Rank 194:
PlaqKamili Praliné Noisettes
76%darkTanzania - Rank 195:
Steiner & KovarikAluna 100%
100%darkColombia - Rank 196:
TableNo. 2 Vegan Milk 59%
59%milkDominican Republic - Rank 197:
Chocolaterie MorinYamasá Noir 63%
63%darkDominican Republic - Rank 198:
Svenska KakaoBourbon Aged 72%
72%darkDominican Republic - Rank 199:
Vinte Vinte85% Dark Madagascar
85%darkMadagascar - Rank 200:
Likkle MoreMatcha Tea & Cocoa Butter
33%whiteJamaica - Rank 201:
Åkesson'sTrinitario Cocoa & Pink Pepper 75%
75%darkMadagascar - Rank 202:
KarunaBelize 70%, Fast dried
70%darkBelize - Rank 203:
ChokaicoVRAE Co-op 80%
80%darkPeru - Rank 204:
Malagos85% Dark
85%darkPhilippines - Rank 205:
Åkesson'sSukrama Farms Bali 75%
75%darkIndonesia - Rank 206:
Åkesson'sAmbolikapiky Plantation 75% & Wild Voatsiperifery Pepper
75%darkMadagascar - Rank 207:
Moka OriginsDark Milk 58%
58%milkGhana - Rank 208:
Nordic ChocolateNicaragua 75%
75%darkNicaragua - Rank 209:
MirzamPapua New Guinea 72%
72%darkPapua New Guinea - Rank 210:
20nord20sudMatô Sonhôto
100%darkSão Tomé and Príncipe - Rank 211:
MINANG KAKAOWest Sumatra 70%
70%darkIndonesia - Rank 212:
FjåkLingonberry & Reindeer Lichen, Nordic Collection
70%darkMadagascar - Rank 213:
SOLKIKIKablon 70
70%darkPhilippines - Rank 214:
AskinosieDavao Fleur de Sel
62%milkPhilippines - Rank 215:
Beskid ChocolateMleczna z Kawą
55%milkBelize - Rank 216:
MinimalNew Roasted Green Tea Chocolate
68%darkVietnam
Where Trinitario grows
Makers working with Trinitario
Common cocoa percentages
Frequently asked about Trinitario chocolate
What is Trinitario chocolate?
Trinitario is a family of hybrids between Criollo and hardy Amazonian cacao. It inherits some of Criollo's aromatic finesse and much of the vigour Criollo lacks, so it grows widely and is where most real-world fine-flavour chocolate sits. Its flavour is highly variable and depends on origin and maker.
What does Trinitario chocolate taste like?
It varies more than any other group. Across Chof bars, Trinitario shows fresh fruit and berry, nutty and creamy notes, brown-sugar sweetness and a lift of citrus and spice. The specific cross and origin matter far more than the word Trinitario itself.
How many Trinitario chocolate bars are on Chof?
Chof lists 335 Trinitario chocolate bars, from 110 makers, at an average of 72% cocoa.
Which makers work with Trinitario cacao on Chof?
The most-represented makers using Trinitario on Chof are Standout Chocolate, Askinosie, Friis Holm, Marou Chocolate, Beskid Chocolate. Each bar links to the maker that made it.
Sources and further reading
- Motamayor et al. (2008). Geographic and Genetic Population Differentiation of the Amazonian Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao L.). PLOS ONE.The DNA study that regrouped cacao into ten genetic clusters, retiring the old three-name folk model.
Related varieties
Learn more
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