Aragua State is located squarely in northern Venezuela, along the central coast. The region encompasses a variety of climes, including beaches, plains, and jungles, the latter of which is home to one of the state’s many industries: cacao farming. The municipalities of Choroní, Ocumare, and Chuao are some of the most famous & historic cacao-growing areas of Venezuela, as well as the home of— arguably— its most beautiful beaches. In Ocumare the main industries are fishing and cacao production, while Chuao is famously close to the capital city of Caracas, but difficult to get to. The village is only accessible by travelling via boat from nearby Choroní, and then trekking a few miles inland.

Criollo is the only one of those original three which has proven to be its own evolutionarily unique type. The clusters were finally identified in 2008 using hundreds of samples collected throughout the Americas over the previous century. With the least genetic diversity of the ten, criollo cacaos are the most predictable in terms of both appearance and flavor, as well as proper post-harvest protocol; they’re known to have a very chocolaty base flavor and little to no bitterness. Some criollos also show a light nuttiness or florality, but overall they’re prized for their mild flavor, and under-cultivated due to low yield. Criollo is the only genetic cluster found growing wild in the primary forests of Central America.