Castronovo Jaguar Cacao Nibs 68% Dark

Jaguar cacao refers to a rare variety of cacao known for its distinctive flavor characteristics, and Castronovo uses it to create a unique 68% dark chocolate bar that stands apart from more common cacao varietals like Criollo or Forastero. The cacao is grown and harvested on Castronovo's own family farm.

Castronovo is a small, family-owned bean-to-bar chocolate maker. Their Jaguar Cacao Nibs 68% Dark is crafted using cacao grown on their own farm, giving them full control over the chocolate-making process from harvest to finished bar.

The 68% figure indicates that 68% of the chocolate's weight comes from cacao products (cocoa solids and cocoa butter), while the remaining percentage consists primarily of sugar and any additional ingredients. This places the bar in the moderately dark range, balancing intensity with approachability.

Castronovo distinguishes itself by growing cacao on its own farm rather than solely sourcing beans from third-party growers, which is relatively uncommon even among artisan bean-to-bar producers. This vertical integration allows for tighter quality control from tree to bar, similar to the approach taken by makers like Original Hawaiian Chocolate.