Goodnow Farm

Goodnow Farms - El Carmen, Nicaragua 77%

55 g Fine Dark Chocolate
Regular price $30.00 USD
Sale price $30.00 USD Regular price

Top Micro-Batch – Plain/Origin Dark Chocolate Bars 2025
International Chocolate Awards

Single-Origin & Ethical Sourcing
Crafted from beans grown in El Carmen, a region in Nicaragua's Central Highlands near Matagalpa, this bar is a fine expression of direct-trade chocolate. The beans are sourced from Giff Laube’s Cacao Bisiesto, which both owns its farm and contracts with nearby small family growers. By paying these farmers above-market prices, Goodnow Farms ensures ethical supply chains and superior bean quality. 

Meticulous Processing
Cacao pods are harvested, opened, and delivered to the fermentary on the same day, preserving freshness and depth of flavor. Goodnow Farms then applies a custom roasting and five-day stone-grind conching process, using freshly pressed cocoa butter to elevate texture and nuance. 

Flavor Profile
Described consistently as:

  • Deep and earthy, with bold notes of caramel, raisin, and burnt caramel that suggest the richness of treacle or fig-like sweetness. 

  • A true dark chocolate lover’s bar—full-bodied, nuanced, and uncommonly balanced. 

Accolades & Recognition
This single-origin creation has earned Silver at the Academy of Chocolate Awards and a Regional Silver at the International Chocolate Awards, underscoring its refined flavor and craft. 

What Makes It Stand Out

  • Taste of Terroir: The distinctly warm, raisin-caramel aroma and taste transports you to the heart of Nicaragua’s highlands.

  • Provenance & Integrity: Built through empowered sourcing, precise fermentation, and origin-based roasting, this bar embodies both ethical roots and expert execution.

  • Depth Without Darkness Overpower: At 77%, it balances intensity with sophistication—rich yet smooth, flavorful but not bitter.

Tasting & Pairing Guide

Enjoy the El Carmen bar slowly on its own to let the flavors of caramel, raisin, and earthy depth unfold layer by layer.

Pair it with a bold red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, to complement the dark fruit and caramel notes. For spirits, an aged rum or a toasty whiskey will amplify the bar’s warmth and molasses-like richness.

If you prefer dessert pairings, try it alongside dark berry treats like a fig tart or blackberry compote, which echo the natural fruit tones in the cacao.

Summary

The El Carmen 77% Dark Chocolate is a gourmet journey through Nicaragua—ethically sourced, expertly crafted, and award-winning. Its profound caramel-fig essence and polished texture make it a standout for discerning dark chocolate lovers.

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy Free

Like coffee beans and wine grapes, different cacao beans have different flavors. By using beans sourced from only one farm or region we’re able to highlight the distinct flavor characteristics of that particular bean. Discovering those flavors is one of the joys of making (and eating) single-origin craft chocolate!

To make excellent chocolate we need to start with excellent beans. We’ve traveled throughout Latin America searching for the most flavorful beans, and have direct relationships with the farmers who grow and harvest them. By dealing directly with farmers we’re able to ensure we always receive the very best beans, which in many cases are fermented and dried to our custom specifications. Our direct trade model also allows us to pay significantly more than commodity or Fair Trade prices, and ensure that farming practices are sustainable and labor practices are equitable.

All of our chocolate is made at our 225 year old farm in Sudbury, Massachusetts. We start with cacao beans and sugar, and perform every step of the chocolate making process in-house, including carefully hand wrapping each bar. We’re also one of the only chocolate makers to use our own freshly pressed, single origin cocoa butter in our chocolate. Doing this is time consuming and difficult, but the result is exceptionally smooth and intensely flavorful chocolate.

We believe that great craft chocolate is “true to the bean,” – that the flavors apparent in the bar reflect the flavors hidden in the bean. We invite you to explore our website to learn more about the many steps involved in truly realizing the full flavor potential of single-origin chocolate cacao, from personal sourcing to painstakingly roasting, pressing cocoa butter, conching and more. What you discover will change the way you think about chocolate!

Cacao Beans, Organic Sugar, Fresh Pressed Cocoa Butter

Keep in a cool, dry place, away from direct light and strong odors. Store at maximum
18 ° C in its original packaging

Our chocolate makers proudly refrain from using any artificial stabilizers or preservatives in their products, making their creations more temperature-sensitive compared to other premium chocolates.

To ensure the optimal taste experience, it's advisable to store our chocolates in a cool, dry place where the temperature hovers between 16°C and 18°C. Please refrain from refrigerating our chocolates, as this may cause sugar crystallization due to increased humidity, altering their texture and flavor.

On the contrary, if stored in excessively high temperatures, cocoa butter may separate and form a white film on the chocolate's surface. This loss of cocoa butter can lead to the chocolate drying out and, consequently, a potential alteration in flavor. Your mindful storage practices will help preserve the integrity of our delectable chocolates.

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