1. Harvesting & Immediate Processing

Once cacao pods are harvested, they are opened right away. The fresh beans, still covered in sweet pulp, are removed and handled immediately—unlike in fermentation, where they would be left to rest. 

2. Washing the Beans

The defining step of cacao lavado is washing. Farmers manually rinse the beans—often using baskets and water—to remove the pulp surrounding them.
This step stops fermentation before it begins, preserving the cacao in a more raw, natural state.

3. Sun Drying

After washing, the clean beans are spread out under the sun to dry. As they lose moisture, they develop a distinctive, uniform reddish color that is characteristic of cacao lavado. 

1. Harvesting & Immediate Processing

Once cacao pods are harvested, they are opened right away. The fresh beans, still covered in sweet pulp, are removed and handled immediately—unlike in fermentation, where they would be left to rest. 

2. Washing the Beans

The defining step of cacao lavado is washing. Farmers manually rinse the beans—often using baskets and water—to remove the pulp surrounding them.
This step stops fermentation before it begins, preserving the cacao in a more raw, natural state.

3. Sun Drying

After washing, the clean beans are spread out under the sun to dry. As they lose moisture, they develop a distinctive, uniform reddish color that is characteristic of cacao lavado. 

4. Minimal Processing, Maximum Preservation

Because the beans are not fermented, they retain much of their original composition. This method preserves naturally occurring compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids that are significantly reduced during fermentation.

5. Flavor Profile

Cacao lavado expresses a very different flavor compared to fermented cacao:

  • More bitter and astringent
  • Nutty, citrusy, and earthy notes
  • Cleaner, more direct taste of the bean
  • Less of the deep and complex developed chocolate flavors created by fermentation

4. Minimal Processing, Maximum Preservation

Because the beans are not fermented, they retain much of their original composition. This method preserves naturally occurring compounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids that are significantly reduced during fermentation.

5. Flavor Profile

Cacao lavado expresses a very different flavor compared to fermented cacao:

  • More bitter and astringent
  • Nutty, citrusy, and earthy notes
  • Cleaner, more direct taste of the bean
  • Less of the deep and complex developed chocolate flavors created by fermentation

Why This Method Matters

Cacao lavado is not meant to be judged by the same standards as fermented chocolate. Instead, it belongs to a different tradition—one rooted in drinking chocolate, where boldness and clarity of flavor are essential.

This process connects directly to the origins of cacao as xocoatl, a bitter, unsweetened beverage consumed by Mesoamerican cultures long before modern chocolate existed.

A Different Way to Experience Cacao

Cacao lavado isn’t about softness or complexity—it’s about purity and origin. It offers a more immediate connection to the cacao bean itself and to the traditions that shaped how chocolate was first experienced.

This method is a powerful reminder: chocolate is not just one flavor profile—it’s a spectrum of possibilities shaped by culture, process, and intention.