Fortunato 68% (Peru)

Taste profile

Intense, but not bitter, with floral notes and a nutty flavor. 

Origin and history

The Pure National is a variety of cacao beans from Ecuador that has long dominated the world of chocolate thanks to its remarkable finesse. In 1916, a virus decimated the whole population of cacao trees in a lapse of 3 years. From then, it was thought that this largely awarded variety had completely disappeared from the region.

But in 2007, Dan Pearson and Brian Horsley accidentally discovered some cacao trees in Maranon Valley in Peru. It was in the heart of the Andes, in the middle of a canyon surrounded by a rock face of more than 2000 metres of altitutde, that 23 puro Nacional trees were found hiding in the forest. This unique micro climate with its high rock faces was what allowed these original cacao "mother" trees to survive the virus. 

After finding these beans, they sent them to the Department of Agriculture in the United States to have them examined. Among the 5300 international cacao database entries, no other puro Nacional with white beans had ever been registered. After a structural genetic analysis of the beans, it was revealed that these were originally from Peru. The cacao pods produce between 40-100% white beans. 

These specimens have been duplicated and are now harvested at Don Fortunato's farm in Peru.

Shelled cocoa beans* (Peru), cane sugar* (South America), cocoa butter* (Dominican Republic). Min. 68% cocoa.

May contain traces of milk, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts and gluten. 

• Net weight: 90g
• Store between 15°C and 22°C