New addition to our offer List!! – Cuba Baracoa

September 30, 2022

CUBA BARACOA in stock at The Cocoa Provider…

This August 2022 the small city of Baracoa on the far eastern tip of the coast of Cuba celebrates its festival of the four C’s

Cuba — Cacao — Coco– Cafe

Acknowledged as the first Spanish settlement in Cuba, 511 years ago, Baracoa is located on the spot where Christopher Columbus landed in Cuba on his first voyage and wrote in his logbook “this is the most beautiful place in the world”. It is thought that the name stems from the indigenous Arauaca language word meaning “the presence of the sea”.

Baracoa is Cuba’s main chocolate manufacturing area producing 75% of Cuba’s cocoa across thousands of hectares cultivated under groves of Royal palm on the banks of the Río Miel, Río Duaba, Río Toa and Río Yumuri in the Guantánamo province in the Northeast of Cuba. Baracoa lies on the Bay of Honey (Bahía de Miel) and is surrounded by a wide mountain range (including the Sierra del Purial), which causes it to be quite isolated.

Harvest: Production peaks are between December and January and July and August.

Genetics: Hybrids which are grown today are still the same that were grown before the introduction of the communist regime in 1965. Cocoa is collected from small farmers who cultivate small plots where bananas and coconut is also harvested.

Fermentation takes place in horizontal wooden boxes during seven days. The beans are dried for a period of 5 to 6 days.

Flavour: This Cuban cacao is medium bodied with a light acidity and medium bitterness, tobacco, cream and nuts.