Felchlin "Cru Sauvage" Chocolate made from Wildcrafted beans from Bolivia

Quick Links »»  TheChocolateLife.com  »» 

Members:
No longer accepting new members at chocophile.com. Join TheChocolateLife

Felchlin Cru Sauvage -- The Only Chocolate In The World Made From Beans Harvested from Wild Cocoa Trees

Felchlin (pronounced felk'-lin) is one of the oldest privately-owned chocolate companies in Switzerland. Until late 2005, their products have been available only to professionals, who have long been aware of the technical and taste excellence of Felchlin products. Now, for the first time every in the nearly 100-year history of Felchlin, these products are available to the discerning chocophile. Only 12 tonnes of these beans were harvested this year producing only 18 tonnes of chocolate, any only 3 tonnes were allocated to the US.

The Source

The beans used to make Cru Sauvage come from trees that grown on man-made islands in the Beni region of NE Bolivia. These islands were built before Europeans arrived in The New World. While trees were probably planted on these islands they have been untended for over 500 years.

The Trees

The Cambas - as the locals are known - have lived for centuries in this underdeveloped and hard-to-reach region. During the cocoa harvest, the natives of a few small settlements gather the pods – which grow in scattered locations – from the trees, for the forest owners. The Cambas are often away for days either on foot, on horseback or in dugout canoes. The cocoa gatherers know every corner of this region. They know exactly where the wild cocoa trees can be found.

The Beans

The Cambas bring the gathered wild cocoa to the Finca (farm) every evening. On the Finca "Tranquilidad," the cocoa beans ferment in wooden crates. Regular turning and moving provide a consistent aeration. Finally, the beans dry in the tropical sun for several days.

Transporting the Beans for Export

Transportation of the beans is a real challenge. Cocoa is harvested during the rainy season when the few roads in the region are impassable. Cocoa bags filled with beans are carried on river boats to the Amazon steamer docks. After a long journey on water and across the Andes, the beans are loaded at the Port of Arica on Chile’s Pacific coast. From here, the wild cocoa beans are shipped by vessels to Europe.

Making the Chocolate

At Felchlin in Schwyz, Switzerland, the rare wild cocoa beans are carefully inspected once more. The very small cocoa beans place high demands on traditional manufacturing processes. All the machines have to be adjusted individually. The roasting process especially requires attentive care and patience. Temperature and time of the revolving roaster are set specifically and monitored by the roasting master. For Bolivian wild cocoa, the roasting temperature is lower and the roasting time is longer than for all other cocoa beans Felchlin uses. By taking such great care, the small wild beans gradually unfold their intensive and unique aromas.

Conching is a time-intensive refinement process which requires a great deal of know-how, experience and dedication. Each type of cocoa is different and therefore the conching time has to be set accordingly. For the Cru Sauvage, 60 hours in the traditional conches have been defined as the optimum conching time by the specialists at Felchlin. This long-lasting conching process and aeration allow the still hidden wealth of aromas to unfold. At the same time, homogeneity, subtleness and texture are reached, leading to a unique result of high quality.

Interested in getting some of this chocolate for yourself? Click here.