Artichoke Chocolate | Dark Chocolate 70% - Esmeraldas
Name: Esmeraldas
Type: Dark
Percentage: 70%
Tasting Notes: berries, citrus, light floral notes, caramel
Tasting Summary: expect ripe red berries and citrus zest up front, easing into caramel, honey and a light floral note, maybe a touch of stone fruit or toffee on the finish.
At 70%, that fruit-forward Nacional character stays present and smooth, which is characteristic of the Ecuadorian cacao producing region, Esmeraldas - which proves not all Nacional cacao is the same.
Bean Origin: Ecuador (Esmeraldas)
Made In: Tokyo, Japan
Limited edition: small batch - once it's gone, it's gone
Bar Size: 17g (note, smaller than standard bar)
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Stories: Artichoke Chocolate opened in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa (Tokyo) in 2015, modelled on the small chocolate shops of European towns - and having visited in 2026 I'd say they are one of the most playful chocolate makers I've come across. In addition to their limited edition bars - truly small batch, limited edition - they mould chocolate into sushi and roast chicken legs. If you're ever in that part of Tokyo, the shop is worth the trip regardless of what you leave with.
Fiamma Tip: The berries and citrus here make this one a natural match for a fruity, lighter-bodied red like Pinot Noir, or if you'd rather stay non-alcoholic, a black tea with a citrus edge, like an Earl Grey, mirrors the bar's brightness nicely.
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Why Is Esmeraldas Cacao So Good?
Esmeraldas is Ecuador's northernmost Pacific coast province, bordering Colombia, and it's widely considered one of the country's benchmark regions for fine-flavour Nacional cacao, the same genetic line responsible for Ecuador's reputation as a top origin for craft chocolate.
What sets Esmeraldas apart within that reputation is its particular expression of Nacional: bright red berry and citrus character up front, easing into caramel and light florals, a profile shaped by the region's coastal microclimate and its deep, generations-old growing tradition, much of it tied to the area's Afro-Ecuadorian farming communities. It's a genuinely different read on Nacional cacao to what you'll find further inland, proof that "Ecuadorian cacao" isn't one flavour, it changes meaningfully from province to province.
That's the character behind our Esmeraldas bar from Artichoke Chocolate, fruit-forward and smooth even at 70%, rather than sharp or acidic the way lower-quality fruit-forward bars can tip.
TIMING: We don't believe anyone should wait too long for chocolate and aim to have your chocolate packaged and shipped within 1-2 business days. The sooner the better as far as we're concerned :)
SHIPPING TIMES: Standard shipping typically takes between 2-7 days. Exact time will depend on the courier, and whilst we can't guarantee any exact time as it's out of our hands, experience tells us it's more likely to be 2-3 days in most cases.
THE SNAILIEST SNAIL MAIL: As a heads up, sending to a PO Box, parcel locker or similar, will often be slower as we can't use courier services and have to rely on Australia Post, who can be pretty slow at times.
EXPRESS POST: If you need your chocolate urgently, because sometimes that's a thing in life, please select Express Post at checkout, or get in touch to check how we can help.
HOT WEATHER POLICY: Please note, if the temperature is soaring we may withhold sending your chocolate for a day or two to ensure it doesn't arrive a melted mess. We'll keep you posted if that's a case, but please refer to our hot weather policy, or get in touch with any questions.
FREE SHIPPING! We're like you and we love free shipping - although full transparency, we deal in good chocolate as a passion more than profit (yep, the margins are pretty low) and as much as we'd love to offer free shipping on every order it's just not possible. But we love people who love good chocolate, so keep an eye out onsite for our free shipping rates, and gift boxes that include free shipping. Happy days!
STILL NEED INFO? Check out our shipping policy, or get in touch hello@fiammachocolate.au.