No 385 Panamanian cocoa - spirit

Life without chocolate is possible, but pointless. Quite rightly, therefore, the cacao tree, the supplier of the most important flavor ingredient in chocolate, was given the generic name Theobroma - which means "food of the gods".

One of the best and most expensive cocoas in the world is the noble Criollo, which is native to Central America and whose variety Porcelana is considered the Criollo among the Criollos. Its name is derived from the white to light pink color of its cotyledons, which is reminiscent of porcelain. Since this variety is very sensitive and susceptible to diseases, and also gives lower yields than other varieties, it has been largely suppressed.

The reason why this Criollo is still grown for fine chocolate today, and why we have chosen it for our spirit, is because of its outstanding flavor and aroma. Responsible for the latter are more than 35 volatile compounds, mainly pyrazines and aldehydes, which are produced during the roasting of the cocoa.

As an aroma-critical process, we have therefore carried out the roasting of the Porcelana ourselves in our manufactory. In this process, the actual aroma and flavor carriers are created from aroma precursors that form during the fermentation of the cocoa bean. In the case of the Criollo, these are nutty and caramel-like notes alongside fruity and floral notes through to herbaceous and woody notes, resulting in an extremely complex aroma picture that is excellently reflected in our spirit. A unique pleasure with a long-lasting chocolate flavor that delights enjoyed neat, on desserts and in cocktails.