Banana? Mango? Citrus? In a chocolate bar with no fruit added? It can sound like a trick, but flavour notes are one of the most fascinating parts of cocoa.
Much like coffee, cocoa can produce a range of aromas and tastes depending on where it is grown and how it is processed.
It starts long before the chocolate factory
Cocoa beans grow inside pods surrounded by a sweet pulp. After harvest, the wet beans are fermented and dried. These aren't just housekeeping steps: they help develop the chemical precursors that will later create chocolate flavour.
The International Cocoa Organization describes flavour development as a two-stage process: fermentation on the farm and roasting by the processor. Both matter.
Why does fermentation change flavour?
Yeasts and bacteria break down sugars in the surrounding pulp. Heat and acidity change the bean, while enzymes and other reactions affect compounds inside it. Drying and roasting then develop the final aroma through further reactions.
Differences in genetics, growing conditions, fermentation and roasting can lead to chocolate that tastes nutty, floral, earthy or surprisingly fruity.
Does 'notes of banana' mean bananas were added?
No. A tasting note describes what a taster thinks a flavour resembles. It isn't an ingredient declaration and it doesn't mean everyone will taste the same thing.
People bring different experiences to tasting. What one person calls citrus, another may describe as a bright acidity. Neither has necessarily got the chocolate wrong.
Our Malawi connection
Our Malawi Origins 60 has been described with banana, mango and citrus notes. Those descriptions celebrate what we experience from the cocoa rather than suggesting there's actual fruit mixed into the recipe.
We love the idea that cocoa from different places can tell a different story. It's one reason origin chocolate is worth tasting slowly, rather than just eating on autopilot.
Try your own tasting
Break a small piece, smell it, let it melt, and pay attention to how the flavour changes. Try the same exercise with a second chocolate of a different origin. Don't worry about finding 'correct' notes: tasting should be enjoyable, not an exam.
