A Taste of Coolness

When summer arrives, we search for coolness.

Cold water.

The shade of trees where the breeze passes through.

The sound of wind chimes heard at dusk.

Japan has long had a culture of feeling coolness through the eyes,

feeling coolness through sound, and feeling coolness through fragrance.

This July,

we made that “coolness to savor” our theme.

Crystallized Cacao

What we're delivering this month is Crystallized Cacao.

Crystallized Cacao is a new cacao confection devised by Cacaogoto.

Unlike ordinary chocolate, it's crafted to be savored slowly even in the hot season.

This month,

we based it on white Crystallized Cacao, combining the fruity character of cacao pulp with the gentle richness of mocambo.

The Fruit of Cacao

When you crack open a cacao pod,white flesh appears.

This is cacao pulp.

A juicy sweetness and tartness reminiscent of white peach or lychee.

It's the true fruit of cacao, tasted only before it becomes chocolate.

This time, we crafted a Crystallized Cacao that makes the most of that fruity character.

Three Flavors

This month,

we've prepared three varieties.

Green Raisin

Wrapped around a green raisin,

combined with cacao nibs from Tanzania's Kokoa Kamili.

After the fruit's juicy sweetness,

a gorgeous aroma reminiscent of muscat grapes spreads across the palate.

Lemon Peel

We wrapped lemon peel together with cacao nibs

from Tanzania's Kokoa Kamili.

The freshness of citrus layers with the depth of cacao,

leaving a light, lingering finish.

Mocambo

Topped with mocambo, with mocambo wrapped inside as well.

A single piece where you can taste, just as it is,

the gentle richness and creamy flavor unique to this close relative of cacao.

The Aroma of Tanzania

The cacao nibs used this time are

from Tanzania — Kokoa Kamili.

Their defining feature is a gorgeous aroma reminiscent of muscat grapes and citrus.

Layered with green raisin and lemon peel,

they create a light, summery finish.

Mocambo, an Ingredient

Mocambo is a close relative of cacao.

We first encountered mocambo at the Salon du Chocolat in Paris a few years ago.

Grown in the Ecuadorian Amazon, its fruit is a faint milky white,

with a gentle richness and creamy flavor quite different from cacao.

Paired with cacao pulp,

it became the foundation of this Crystallized Cacao,

where fruitiness and smoothness come together in harmony.

A July Tea Gathering

Quiet in appearance.

Once in the mouth,

the fruit emerges,

the cacao's aroma unfolds,

and the finish spreads slowly.

A summer coolness that's more than just cold.

Please enjoy a quiet moment of summer, together with cacao tea.