How are cocoa beans classified?

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Cocoa classification - what is it?

In other articles on our site we have already written about the different species of cocoa and the process of producing real cocoa. Today we will discuss a slightly different issue, namely the classification of beans. Such classification can be made on the basis of various aspects of the bean, For example, degree of fermentation ¹ or size and quality. We, however, will deal here with probably the most important classification for us, namely the division of grains according to their flavor profile, origin and best use.

Below we describe the four categories into which grains fall according to this classification. We are talking about Microlot grains, Specialty grains, Premium grains and Selected grains. In addition to the general characteristics of the four categories, the reader will find examples of the grains included in each category. Let's start with Microlot grains.

Microlot grains

According to cocoa producers, the Microlot category is a selection of beans of exceptional quality sourced from “wild” plantations: ancient cacao crops that have been lost in the jungles of Latin America. The flavor and character of cocoa beans - but also of cheeses, wine or coffee - depends largely on where the commodity was harvested or produced. This place is usually referred to by the French term “terroir,” which describes “the unique combination of geological and climatic conditions in which a food product is produced , which gives it a well-defined and unique character” ². Terroir thus includes, among other things. Soil, climate, altitude, sunlight intensity, amount of precipitation and more ³.

The collection of Microlot beans from the aforementioned “wild” plantations, as well as the conditions of fermentation and drying of the seeds, contribute to their unique profile, which is well suited to the “Bean to Bar” method of chocolate production (from bean to bar). Microlot is a limited category of cocoa, usually available on the market in very small quantities (even single bags!). However, the selection process makes it possible to detect many desirable aromas in the chocolate, such as floral, fruity, nutty and spice notes, while at the same time not perceiving any bitterness and astringency caused by the presence of tannins (tannins).

As for the subspecies of cacao included in the Microlot category, three main strains of Venezuelan origin are usually cited (although varieties from other countries also occur). The first is Amazonas Flores de la Selva, an Amazonian species with a rich aroma with notes of tropical fruits, subjected to special fermentation and several stages of drying. Another species is Venezuela Sur del Lago Caracciolo, a grain with a delicate, creamy and nutty aroma complemented by an aftertaste of fruit and honey. Finally, Microlot is also a Venezuela Ocumare Costa de Oro grade, a cacao fermented in wooden crates, which the producer describes as a product with a very rich tropical aroma and unique spicy notes. Despite this profile, Ocumare is used to produce an exceptionally delicate chocolate with a noticeable bouquet of sweet fruits.

Speciality Grains

Next in line is the Speciality selection, which means beans harvested only from specific sectors of selected cocoa plantations. In this case, terroir is not so important: what matters are specific trees from rare species and the weather conditions for growing these noble cocoa trees. In addition, the fruit that will be used to produce Speciality is harvested a little earlier than the regular growing schedule, and then the seeds are fermented, dried, sorted and stored - all according to a special protocol prepared by experts. This selection makes it possible to produce exquisite chocolate for true gourmets.

As with Microlot, Speciality is also grains of varieties from Venezuela, among others, examples of which we will look at here. Let's talk about two of them here: the Venezuela Carabobo Las Trincheras species and the Venezuela Amazonas Guara. The first is a cacao grown in the Carabobo region, a subspecies of Criollo cacao. Its flavor palette includes delicate floral aromas lined with flavors of citrus, wood and tobacco. Carabobo is fermented in wooden crates and then dried in the sun in specially designated areas. The Guara variety, on the other hand, comes from the Amazon area, and its flavor bouquet is described as floral, creamy and nutty, with notes of pineapple and papaya.

Premium grains

The third category, according to the classification undertaken here, is the premium category. The principle here is similar to that of Microlot beans: terroir matters. However, Premium cocoa does not come from the jungle, but simply from plantations with the same special geographic and climatic profile. In addition, with Premium, there is a strong emphasis on the ripeness of the fruit and, as with Specialty, on the fermentation procedure, which takes place under strict temperature and acidity control.

Premium bean grades are sourced from a wide variety of countries, including Colombia, Thailand, Peru and Nicaragua. These include, among others, the Colombia Morumbi species (a subspecies of Trinitario from the Puerto Lleras del Meta region, offering a palette of flavors such as nut, spice and citrus) and the Thailand Chathaburi variety (rich in tropical notes, i.e., flavors of pineapple, mango, passion fruit, as well as a slight hint of cane sugar). But returning to South America, the premium category also includes Peru Ucayali River cocoa seeds (a variety of Trinitarios from the Ucayali region with lemony, nutty, spicy and olive flavors) and Nicaragua O'Tuma - the latter features a very rich flavor bouquet: there are notes of passion fruit, coffee, pineapple, tannins and even kiwi.

Selected Grains

Finally, we arrive at the Selected beans category. This seed comes from only a few specialized plantations, and the fermentation process is carried out in such a way as to extract as much flavor as possible from the seeds needed for chocolate production. Selected beans are characterized by subtle notes of bitterness and astringency, but these are removed during roasting. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, the sources do not specify which specific species of cocoa beans fall into the Selected category.

This article was intended to familiarize the reader with the classification of cocoa beans into four categories, each with a slightly different flavor profile and purpose. We hope it will help you choose your favorite type of real cocoa!