Big Island Hawaii: Craft Chocolate Tasting and Farm Tour

Highlights

• Savor the flavors of 10 different craft chocolate bars from Hawaii
• Learn about the history of chocolate from ancient mesoamerica to today
• Relax in an elegant tasting room with expansive vistas of the Hawaiian Landscape
• Try fresh cacao juice, roasted cacao beans, cacao tea, and other treats
• Dive deep into the agricultural complexity of growing and fermenting cacao

Description

As you journey to Honolii Orchards, you’ll drive along some of the Big Island's scenic backroads, rarely explored by most visitors. Our family-owned farm is located just 5 minutes from Hilo, set amidst historic breadfruit, sugarcane, macadamia, and cattle land, 1.7 miles up Puia Road.

Upon arrival, you'll step into our elevated tasting room, perched above the orchard canopy, offering breathtaking ocean and valley views. We begin with some casual conversation so we have a chance to relax and chat before heading out to tour the orchards with Colin Hart, our master agronomist.

In the orchards, you'll explore the journey of the cacao tree—from cultivation to harvest—and discover how its precious fruits are transformed into the beloved treat we know as chocolate. We encourage curiosity, so feel free to ask any questions you may have! While here, we’ll also delve into the broader agricultural history of the region, touching on the once-booming sugarcane industry that shaped the Hamakua Coast.

Following the orchard tour, Colin, whose master's work focused on cacao fermentation and drying, will guide you through the fascinating process of cacao fermentation. This is a unique opportunity to dive deep into the science of post-harvest processing, a critical step in producing high-quality craft chocolate.

Next, we’ll return to the tasting room for an engaging exploration of chocolate’s history, tracing its origins from ancient Mesoamerica to today’s craft chocolate revolution. You’ll also gain an understanding of the key differences between craft chocolate and mass-produced commodity chocolate.

We conclude the tour with an exceptional tasting of 10 single-origin craft chocolate bars, all sourced from various farms across the Hawaiian Archipelago. Through this tasting, you’ll experience the incredible diversity of flavors that Hawaiian cacao offers. Like fine wine, craft chocolate reveals the profound influence of terroir—how genetics, soil, and climate combine to create distinct flavor profiles.

We like to think of Hawaii as the Napa Valley of craft chocolate, and by joining us, you'll become part of an exclusive group at the forefront of this growing industry. This experience will equip you with the knowledge to discuss cacao agriculture and chocolate’s rich history with confidence, while also helping you refine your own unique flavor preferences.

In addition to the chocolate tasting, you'll also get to try fresh cacao juice, roasted cacao beans, chocolate-covered macadamias, cacao tea, and other seasonal fruits and farm-fresh treats.

After the tour, you'll have the opportunity to purchase any of the chocolates you tasted. You're also welcome to stay, relax in the tasting room, or take a leisurely walk through our beautiful orchards.

**WARNING:** We love to feed people chocolate, please be prepared to consume quite a lot of it during this tasting. If there’s something you especially enjoy, we will happily give you more.