What is single-origin chocolate? At its heart, this is chocolate made from the cocoa beans of a single location — just one harvest from the same grove of trees.
When we talk about gourmet food, we always talk about the ingredients. For example, wine connoisseurs recognize that the origin of the grapes and even the composition of the soil they are grown in can be tasted in the final product.
We call this the terrior, or the element of the earth that is infused into each plant as it grows. Just as flowers are different colors grown in different soil and grapes from different countries grow with different flavors, the same can be said of chocolate.
More on Single-Origin Chocolate
Choosing single-origin provides a unique quality that can only be found, well, from one place in the world.
Cacao beans used to create single-origin chocolate share unique qualities and the exact same balance of nutrients from the soil, the weather, and level of care. Terrior, the French word for “soil,” is most often discussed during wine tastings, but the same can be applied to craft coffee, honey, olive oil, and even cannabis!
The soil’s acidity, unique blend of nutrients, and weather patterns from the local ecosystem all affect how each crop grows — as well as what they yield.
When you source single-origin chocolate, you are tasting not just the chocolatier’s artistry, but the taste of the single, special orchard where your cocoa powder comes from.
Did You Know? It takes about 400 beans processed into raw cocoa powder to produce one pound of chocolate.
What Makes Single-Origin Chocolate So Special?
Single-origin chocolate is like no other. We don’t say this as a platitude or an airy statement; it’s the exact truth. Every source of single-origin chocolate will make a unique product, even compared to chocolates made with the same recipe using a different cocoa source.
This is because cocoa isn’t a pure chemical that is the same every time; the beans take on the flavor of where they are grown. Two different single-origin chocolates from different orchards will taste subtly different. The more distant these orchards are from one another, or differing in care from their farmers, the more flavors will change in the chocolate itself.
If you want to experience a truly one-of-a-kind taste, seek out single-origin brands that specialize in creating gourmet chocolates.
Did You Know?
- Every cacao tree produces about 2,500 beans.
- Some cacao trees are over 200 years old, but produce beans for only 25 years.
- It can take up to five years for a cacao tree to produce its first bean.
How is Single-Origin Chocolate Sourced?
Did you know that most cocoa powder used in chocolate production is made from a blend of different sources? Farmers send their cocoa beans in to be processed, and even international raw cocoa may be mixed by brands that source from multiple countries.
To create single-origin gourmet chocolate, chocolatiers must cultivate a relationship with farmers or farm-direct suppliers. Global markets will typically sell a commercial blend, easily made by processing many farm products in large facilities. And in fact, blended chocolate can be and is delicious.
But for that unique single-origin chocolate experience, brands need to know the farmers directly. To cultivate the best single-origin chocolate, there’s a need to find the best farmers whose terrior is truly superb.
A cocoa farmer has a lot to gain from partnering directly with single-origin chocolatiers. A line into the gourmet industry can often boost profits and provide further incentive to lovingly cultivate a natural richness of flavor in each cocoa bean’s terrior qualities.
Did You Know?
- Most Cocoa trees are raised by hand on family-owned farms.
- About 70% of all Cocoa orchards are in West Africa.
Can Single-Origin Chocolate be Cannabis-Infused?
If you love chocolate, you may naturally be interested in gourmet chocolate edibles, or chocolates infused with cannabis oil. Cannabis and gourmet chocolate are a wonderful combination, providing both that flavorful mood lifting benefit of chocolate and the more holistic rewards of THC, CBD, or full-spectrum cannabis oils.
Single-origin chocolate can be made using cannabis oil as part of the oil infusion that makes the chocolate soft and creamy. With proper dosing, oils in chocolate help achieve the right texture — and when it comes to cannabis oil, a balanced effect that’s uplifting, but not overpowering.
Did You Know?
- The Aztec emperor Montezuma drank 50 cups of cacao a day from a golden chalice.
- Cocoa beans have been so valuable that Mesoamericans used them as currency.
Where Can You Find Single-Origin Chocolate Edibles?
Single-source chocolates are a specialty product that few cannabis brands carry. While the trend may soon become more widespread, today you will need to know which brands to seek if you want single-origin chocolate edibles.
At Colorado dispensaries, look for Nové Luxury Edibles. Our single-origin chocolates come in a beautiful variety of flavors and infusions for you to choose from. Whether you are seeking a sumptuous evening or the perfect cannabis gift for a friend, Nové has a selection that you’ll be sure to love.
Now that you know and appreciate what is single-origin chocolate, see our store locator to discover where you can find Nové near you. Dispensaries that carry Nové may also offer online ordering, making it even easier to elevate your everyday with chocolate that carries the flavor of the very trees where it was grown.