Where the Story of Chocolate Begins
Every time you sip a rich dark chocolate or swirl a cacao-infused cocktail in Quito, you’re tapping into one of the world’s most captivating flavor stories. Ecuador isn’t just a source of chocolate — it is chocolate. From the forest-floor of the Amazon to the micro-roasters of the capital, cacao is heritage, identity and terroir rolled into one bean.
Origins in the Forest: The Birthplace of Fine Flavor Cacao
Deep within Ecuador’s Amazonian foothills, the story of cacao begins. The ancient domestication of the bean traces back more than 5,000 years.
Here’s what a cacao-savvy chef knows: the variety known as Nacional (also called “Arriba Nacional”) is genetically distinct — prized for its floral aroma, herbaceous finishing notes and exceptional finesse.
In the coastal and Amazon provinces of Ecuador, small-farm fermentations still happen in wooden boxes and sun-drying remains the norm. These post-harvest practices preserve the delicate flavor compounds that define chocolate of true origin.
The Alchemy of Quito’s Chocolatiers
In Quito you’ll find roasters who treat cacao like fine wine. Chefs-chocolatiers recognises the magic in micro-batch roasting, precise conching and bean-to-bar craftsmanship.
What you’ll experience: flights of 70 %+ dark chocolate bars sourced from single farms, flavour-mapping of terroir (coastal vs Amazon), even cacao-infused Negronis and drinking chocolate spiced with native ingredients.
These artisans aren’t just making dessert — they’re transforming Ecuador’s terroir into tasting experiences.
More Than Sweetness: Cacao as Culture & Dignity
Ecuador’s fine-flavor cacao was once the jewel of global cocoa trade — yet farmers often remained invisible. Today, the narrative is shifting.
Recent research shows: Ecuador exports high-value cacao and chocolate at an increasing pace, and the value chain is evolving to support traceability, farmer cooperatives and craft chocolate production.
This means when you savor a bar in Quito, you’re not just tasting flavour — you’re investing in craft, community and regeneration.
Taste the Story: A Sensory Journey in Quito
Take a seat. Close your eyes. The slip of a spoon through thick, warm drinking chocolate. The subtle violet notes hint at Amazon-grown Nacional beans. The finish reveals almond or tobacco. That’s Ecuador in your cup.
Here’s your path:
Smell the unroasted beans. Note the floral aroma.
Compare two origins: one from Esmeraldas coast, one from Napo Amazon.
Watch how roast profiles shift flavor from bright to deep.
Finish with cocktails that play cacao like a base spirit.
Why Ecuadorian Cacao Matters
Let’s get technical (in a delicious way):
Ecuador is recognised as the genetic homeland of Nacional cacao, making it a global centre for cacao biodiversity.
The term “Arriba” (which means “up-river”) is tied to how European traders navigated the Guayas basin to source the famed beans.
The fine-flavor cacao export value has grown substantially: between 2005 and 2019 exports increased by more than 460% in value.
However, pure-genotype Nacional trees are extremely rare — only a tiny fraction of trees tested in 2009 were 100% pure.
All this means: when you choose cacao of origin in Ecuador, you’re choosing craftsmanship, heritage and rarity.
Bean to Cup — and Back to the People
Our path completes the circle: forest → farm → roaster → cup → you. But it also loops back: your experience returns value to growers, honors ancestral methods, sustains craft.
In our tasting menu in Quito we guide travelers through this loop, showing how each stage matters: how fermentation time, drying method and roast curve all contribute to the final flavor.
Because chocolate isn’t just dessert. It’s heritage you hold in your hands.
Join Us in Quito
Ready to taste an origin story crafted in cocoa? Join our Chocolate Experience in Quito, a life changing tasting menu where you´ll understand the tradition and transformation of Ecuador’s most iconic ingredient.
