Say the word Chuao around chocolate makers, and you’ll see their eyes light up like they’ve stumbled upon buried gold. This remote village on the Venezuelan coast, flanked by rugged mountains and the Caribbean Sea and accessible only by boat, has been growing cocoa for over 400 years. Chuao’s Criollo beans, a genetic rarity preserved in near-perfect isolation, are so distinct they’ve earned their own designation of origin. What you have here is as pure as it gets, made entirely at origin—a true rarity, as 99% of the precious 20-ton annual crop is whisked away to export markets. The flavour? It’s like raspberry jam meets caramelized pecans and dark toffee, all with a twist of treacle and a faint hint of sourdough rye. It's as delicious and complex as it is rare.
Azu Chuao 70%
Origine du cacao : Venezuela
Pays producteur : Venezuela
Poids : 58 g
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Azu Chuao 70%

Located in Caracas, Azú is a unique “bean-to-pastry” bakery and cafe founded by pastry chef María Evans, who named it after copoazú (Theobroma grandiflorum), cocoa’s close Amazonian relative. Azú offers both sweets and savoury dishes that highlight Venezuelan and Amazonian ingredients such as parchita (passionfruit), guayaba (guava), serrapia (tonka beans), cupuaçu, and lemon ants, blending them into both classic and innovative creations. This focus on Venezuelan flavours laid the foundation for Azú’s line of chocolate bars, sourced exclusively from the renowned village of Chuao and two distinct single estates, showcasing the character of rare heirloom Venezuelan cocoa. Partnering with the Aboriginal Flavours Foundation, María also organizes seminars in the Venezuelan Amazon and still regularly teaches classes, passionately immersing others in the culture and flavours of the region that inspire her.
Achetez plus AzuAragua State, located in the north-central region of Venezuela, is characterized by dense mountainous jungles and picturesque Caribbean beaches. Home to over 2 million inhabitants, the fertile valleys of Aragua have long been central to intensive agriculture, a legacy that dates back to the last decade of the 16th century. During this time, the Spanish implemented encomiendas—a labour system that allowed conquerors to exploit the labour of non-Christian peoples, effectively establishing a form of communal slavery. Among the first crops cultivated were sugar and cocoa. The village of Chuao, nestled between mountains and the sea and accessible only by boat, is home to some of the world’s most sought-after cocoa, a testament to its over 400 years of cultivation.
