Arauca is a department of Colombia shaped by the Casanare and Meta rivers and located in the extreme north of the Orinoco region, bordering Venezuela. The rich soils of this region nourishes the cultivation of crops such as fine flavour cacao, banana, cassava, rice, corn, sesame and many fruit trees. The trinitario hybrid cocoa beans grown in Arauca have retained many traits of the elusive original Criollo, the holy grail of cacao. This chocolate commences with modest hints of chestnut and honey before showing off bursts of red fruit notes. The citric fireworks vanish and leave in the mouth a rounded taste of chocolate that is harmoniously intense and delicate. At Artisan du Chocolat, almost all our bars are produced from ground beans, conched and refined in Kent. This bar however is proudly produced in Bogota by Casa Luker. By selling a higher value added product, this family-owned Colombian company is able to invest in supporting the cocoa growing families, which fosters the long-term sustainable cultivation of fine flavour cacao.

The first 100% cocoa mass from a single plantation in Venezuela. Very bitter, sharp with notes of roasted nuts and coffee.

Made from rare cocoa beans grown on a single plantation in Venezuela. Smooth with notes of roasted nuts and coffee typical of Venezuela.

Colombia, unlike most South American countries, drinks rather than exports most of its cocoa. Luckily, Casa Luker, a family-owned company, has invested for over 100 years their passion and knowledge in growing the best Cacao Fino de Aroma sustainably. At their research farm near Manizales, they explore the properties of each genotype of cocoa tree and provide farmers with a range of seedlings to optimize flavour, natural resistance to diseases and yield. They also teach how to plant a variety of crops from cocoa to plantain, exotic fruits and timber to ensure that farmers can live every year from their lands. I chose lightly roasted Trinitario beans from Huila, Tumaco and Santander. In this Columbian blend, the robustness of Santander beans is lifted by the floral notes from the Huila beans and the fruity ones from the Tumaco beans.

Straddling the equator, Congo benefits from the second largest rainforest in the world. Despite this massive expanse of lush jungle, less than one tenth of a percent of the world's cocoa is cultivated there. Political unrest, the struggle over mineral wealth and frequent displacement of farmers all contribute to the rarity of this cocoa. Intensely chocolatey with notes of wood and molasses, this limited edition bar completes our collection with cocoa from the African continent. We meticulously select our raw ingredients for their flavour and wholesomeness: carefully fermented ground criollo and trinitario beans from chosen regions, pure cocoa butter, cane sugar. We mix, conche and refine each batch in our production in Kent. We make our own chocolate with love, devotion and the sole intent to bring you great chocolate.

Made from trinitario beans grown and fermented with care on some of the oldest plantations of this Caribbean island, this chocolate surprises. It takes you on a journey from sour notes of apricot and currants to molasses, liquorice and earthy cocoa. Original chocolate and full of charm.

Like many of the Caribbean islands, Haiti's history of growing cocoa goes back to the 1600s. That tradition continued throughout Haiti's turbulent history. In 2010 Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, was devastated by a catastrophic earthquake. This chocolate bar is made by Gerard in his atelier in Kent from the first harvest of cocoa beans in Haiti since 2010. Cocoa is like much of the agriculture in Haiti: small scale farmers have little training to work their crops, resulting in a yield per cacao tree that is 30% of the global average. As Haiti grapples with recovery, improving its cocoa crop offers hope for a better and more sustainable future. Gerard took great care in conching and refining these rare beans. The chocolate created is surprisingly gentle for its high cocoa content releasing as it melts notes of honey, chestnuts and wood.

Java is one of the largest islands of Indonesia, formed and landscaped by a chain of volcanic mountains. On this exceptionally rich soil grow cocoa trees of the trinitario variety offering the most unusual and exotic chocolate, pale in colour, but teeming with notes of hay and smoke.

Made from rare cocoa beans grown on a single plantation in the Dominican Republic. Subtle with notes of green olives and apricots.

An easy chocolate to love: fresh, vibrant, bursting with notes of red fruits turning into cinnamon, jasmine and honey. This gorgeous Malagasy chocolate owes its character to Sambirano's rich riverbanks along which criollo and trinitario cocoa trees flourish.

The marmite of chocolate - love it or hate it. Very unusual chocolate from a single plantation in New Guinea, grown on volcanic soil with notes of hay, leather and smoke.

Exceptional organic chocolate from criollo and trinitario beans grown in Madagascar and Peru. Intense with notes of red fruits and warm bread.

Made from rare cocoa beans of single origin. Sharp, intense with red fruits and citrus notes.

Made from the contrast of cocoa beans grown in the mountains and seafront. Subtle with notes of warm bread and chestnuts.

In Vietnam small entrepreneurial farmers are remaking cocoa history by successfully farming fine cocoa commercially for the first time since the French period. A decade after the planting of Trinitario seedlings from neighbouring Malaysia, a precious harvest of a few tons of beans is ready for the world to taste. We chose well fermented and dried beans from Ba Ria Vung Tau Province, East of Mekong Delta. Conched and refined in our atelier in Kent with cane sugar, these beans morph into silky chocolate with notes of raisin and biscuit. Surprisingly mellow at the start, this chocolate melts with a long and slightly peppery bitter finish.