Peru Marañón 2025 - Direct Trade
$ 23.56
Origin: Peru
Region: Marañón
Type: Nacional
Year: 2025
Tasting notes:
At this point it is pretty old news about this "rarest bean in the world". It is notable as it contains a bit pure white National from Peru? Just like much of the mystique around Criollo, this bean too has tons of mystique around it. Some people say it’s the best thing ever. Others are totally underwhelmed. Some talk about whether or how it is ‘Pure Nacional’ or whether it matters. Others call it the Peruvian Porcelano. It’s said to contain 40-60% white cacao and at a cursory look, I'd call that about right. The nibs as a whole show a marked lightness from even Criollo I've seen.
It is from a different supplier than the original years. It was really good the first time and this time the producers have done nothing but improve.
I don't often talk about the roasting aroma as it doesn't correlate to anything in the chocolate but DAMN I really love the nutty biscuit smell that comes off. The chocolate aroma has soft baking spices and a delicate chocolate note. The chocolate is quite sweet and clean with darker caramel notes.. The astringency and bitterness balance perfectly with the sweetness. The bitterness puts me in mind of toasted Brazil nuts and is backed by a little atypical low warm tobacco notes. There is not much of a fruit note this time. As always the mouth feel is buttery and mellow. The lasting impression I am left with is milk chocolate covered nuts with just a touch of clean, earthiness. And that sweetness that I noted at the very beginning lasts throughout and lingers lovingly.
This is the cacao that motivated Antony Bourdain and Erick Ruppert to come search in Peru.
These beans come from the valleys of the Marañon river, accepted by many as one of the earliest varieties from which many of the modern varieties are derived from. This valley is in the North Amazonian mountains, between the Cajamarca and Amazonas departments.
The Marañon bean, also known to include under its umbrella Fortunato No. 4, is cultivated around 900 to 1300 masl. This unique name’s origin is attributed to when genetic tests where being conducted by the USDA on the leaves of one of the cacao trees that were taken from the Fortunato family farm. From various different cacao tree leaf samples the USDA had; the Fortunato sample was the 4th tested… hence “Fortunato No. 4”
The Marañon cacao is very unique because it has survived the test of time…because of the steep valley walls of the Marañon canyon, the cacao in its valley has been isolated from other genetic influences for many centuries.
The cacao undergoes a very well controlled box fermentation, usually 7 days in length. The cacao then gets transferred to mounds – stirring the mounds for 2-4 days depending on how much sun exposure there is, then the mounds get dispersed over the tarped floor to finish drying. Total drying is typically 7 days… but may be longer or shorter depending on the weather. (If there are rains it gets covered).
Drum Roasting
The roast profile for my evaluation was 13:55/16:00/20;50 @ 260 F. The EOR is higher than I would often take a bean with notes of nut but roasting by smell as I do, the beans said that temperature was just fine. If you want to really lean into the bright and vibrant flavors try X/3.0/6.0 @ 250 F but you will probably sacrifice some chocolate and balance.
Behmor 2000AB
If you are using a Behmor, P1 to start with 2 lb will be just fine. Be ready though to turn the power down as you start to note sharp aromas, probably pretty early on, say 10-12 minutes. When it turns sharper near the end of the count down, you are done. If it isn't there yet, add a bit more time (the C button for Continue, will reset your timer to 3:10) waiting for the turn of aroma.
Oven Roasting
