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NAHUA,
COSTA RICA
Vaicacao
PROFILE
Costa Rica, a small Central American country nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, is renowned for its lush biodiversity and fertile volcanic soils—an environment where cacao has thrived for centuries. Today, it stands as one of the region’s key origins for fine flavor cacao.
This cacao carries a personal story: it came to life through the friendship between Vaicacao’s founders and Juan Pablo, the founder of Nahua Cacao. A respected mentor in their cacao journey, he set the standards they proudly uphold in creating this exceptional cacao paste.
CACAO
PROFILES
Vaicacao
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TERROIR
Origin Country
Costa Rica
Regions
Guatuso & Upala
Post-Harvest Facilitator
Nahua
Harvest Year
2021
Beans Genetics ("variety")
Unknown (Mix of local trinitarios)
CONTEXT & MAKING PROCESS
Nahua cacao comes from the eponymous post-harvest company, which collects fresh beans from selected farms across Guatuso and Upala, between the Caño Negro Wildlife Reserve and the Cordillera de Guanacaste. This network brings together over 400 smallholder farmers, supported through direct trade, training, and technical guidance.
The beans—some of the country’s finest trinitario hybrids—are recognized as single-origin fine flavor cacao, highly esteemed in the industry. Nahua Cacao oversees the entire post-harvest process, where carefully defined fermentations and solar drying ensure both consistency and quality.
Once dried, the beans travel to Sardinia, where Vaicacao transforms them through a minimalist artisanal process.
This cacao also carries a story of friendship. Offering it was made possible through the close bond between the brand’s founders and Juan Pablo Buchert, Nahua Cacao’s founder. A key figure in Central America’s cacao sector, his guidance in farming practices and value creation has been invaluable. The result is a cacao as meaningful as it is potent.
MORPHOLOGY
SOLID
HUE – Brown
SCENT – Chocolatey, vanilla, cranberry, sweet tangerine
FORM – Blocks
BEVERAGE
HUE – Brown
SCENT – Cappuccino, tonka, red plum
FOAM – Light beige
AROMATIC PROFILE
Chocolatey
TASTING NOTES
TOP NOTES – Brazil nut
HEART NOTES – Mocaccino
BASE NOTES – Fruity coffee
REMARKS
Nahua delights with a layered, chocolate-forward profile that feels both familiar and intriguing.
It opens with the smoothness of Brazil nut, quickly deepening into the comforting richness of a mocaccino—creamy, roasted, and slightly indulgent. As the flavors settle, a lingering note of fruity coffee rounds out the experience, adding brightness and complexity.
This cacao brings a refined twist to the classic chocolatey spectrum, offering toasted, nutty, and subtly fruity tones with a gentle bitterness. The result is a cup that feels sensual, satisfying, and deeply rooted in what we naturally associate with cacao.
EFFECT PROFILE
Grounding
OBSERVED STATES
PEACEFUL • FOCUSING • FLOWING
REMARKS
Nahua unfolded as a cacao of deep physical release. Its effect arrived gradually, like a dense wave settling over the body, easing tension and inviting stillness.
Rather than detaching the mind, it fostered a quiet awareness: present, grounded, and content.
What emerged was a profound satisfaction, the kind that makes space for appreciation. We find this cacao to be particularly well-suited for practices that thrive on inner stillness—such as meditation or breathwork.
