Yi Shi Cacao Collective Changzhi Pingtung Taiwan 70% Single Estate Chocolate

Not all chocolate needs to tell a story, but when it does, that story better be true.

This 70% single estate chocolate, made from Changzhi Pingtung cacao and developed by YI SHI Cacao Collective in collaboration with Kasama Chocolate, is the direct result of thoughtful sourcing, genuine relationships, and a clear understanding of sustainable cacao farming.

The beans come from Maya Farm, a vibrant cacao plantation in southern Taiwan, where aquaponics is integrated into the landscape: fish waste is converted into natural fertilizer to nourish the cacao trees. Nothing is wasted, and everything is connected.

And yet, in today’s chocolate landscape, examples like this are often ignored or dismissed. The rise of so-called "alternative chocolate" has introduced a dangerous narrative that disregards the work of smallholder farmers, discredits experienced chocolate makers, and, ironically, threatens the ecosystems it claims to protect. Green influencers and some start-up companies pushing for “climate-friendly” chocolate solutions frequently lack a basic understanding of sustainable fine flavor cacao production. Worse, some are fully aware and ignore it because the bean to bar chocolate world doesn’t scale for supermarket shelves.

Let’s be clear: true sustainability doesn’t come from marketing buzzwords. It comes from places like Meya Farm, people like Mr. Chiu and Mr. Huang, and chocolate enthusiasts and makers who prioritize long-term ecological balance over short-term trends.

This chocolate proves sustainable cacao exists, and it doesn’t need to be “replaced.” It needs to be respected.

Yi Shi Cacao Collective Changzhi Pingtung Taiwan 70% Single Estate Chocolate in collaboration with Kasama Chocolate

This bar was born from a direct connection between Olivia Wu, founder of YI SHI Cacao Collective, and Maya Farm in Pingtung County, Taiwan. During a sabbatical in 2024, Olivia visited the farm and met Mr. Chiu and Mr. Huang, two farmers dedicated to cultivating cacao in harmony with the local ecosystem. Their approach integrates aquaponics, allowing fish waste to be recycled into natural nutrients for the trees: a low-intervention, high-efficiency system that embodies sustainable farming beyond theory.

Struck by this method and the vibrant environment of the farm, intercropped with banana trees and coconut palms and shaded by dancing cacao leaves, Olivia brought the beans back to Vancouver. There, she partnered with Kasama Chocolate, one of Canada’s most respected bean to bar chocolate makers, to handcraft this single estate 70% dark chocolate.

The label artwork, illustrated by Vancouver-based artist Ann Liao, was inspired by the fish pond and the breeze through the cacao trees, a visual tribute to the harmony between nature and intention at the heart of this project.

Single Estate Chocolate

June 2024 Harvest

Batch Number: 2

Organic Ingredients: cacao beans, unrefined cane sugar, cocoa butter.

The aromas are delicate and pleasant: nutty, floral (banana blossom), spicy, subtle fruitiness.

Tasting Notes

• Tropical Pink Guava

• Litchee

• Longan

• Hibiscus Sabdariffa: lingering tart cranberry-like floral presence.

• Nutmeg Geranium: taste of nutmeg, with a slightly spicy and sweet nutty flavor.

• Taiwanese Coffee

• Wisteria Tea

Appearance (4/4): Homogeneous, glossy, and uniform.

Snap (1/1): Clean and sharp, indicating excellent tempering.

Tactile Attributes

Fineness (5/5): None detectable particles, resulting in a silky and refined mouthfeel.

Texture (8/8): Silky and creamy.

Astringency (5/5): Absent.

Roundness (7/7): engaging, creamy, and balanced mouthfeel.

Melting Point (3/5): Fairly slow.

Flavor Profile and Aftertaste

Primary Cacao Flavor (7/10): Moderate intensity.

Secondary Pleasant Flavors (12/12): Well-defined, intense, and perceptible.

Secondary Unpleasant Flavors (0/5): None detected.

Overall Aromatic Quality (5/5): Rich, complex, and full of intense aromas and flavors.

Aftertaste (5/5): Long-lasting and satisfying (up to 15 minutes).

Taste

Sweetness (6/6): Balanced and well-integrated.

Bitterness (5/6): Subtle.

Acidity (3/6): Present and satisfying, enhancing the tasting experience.

Harmony and Gustatory Pleasure (10/10): Excellent.

Final Sensation (5/5): Outstanding and complex.

Total Score: 91

This score places Yi Shi Cacao Collective Changzhi Pingtung Taiwan 70% Single Estate Chocolate in the “Excellent” category.

Personal Reflection

After four separate tastings across two full bars, I can confidently say this is the finest Taiwanese single estate chocolate I’ve ever tasted, and arguably the best chocolate made from Taiwan-grown cacao.

I've tried many, including selections from well-established names in the fine chocolate world, but none come close to the level of complexity, balance, and elegance found here.

This excellence stems from a perfect alignment of factors: the quality of the cacao beans, the ecosystem in which they were cultivated, the farming techniques employed, and the skill of the chocolate maker. Kasama Chocolate has made extraordinary progress in recent years, and their precision in working with these beans is evident. Equal credit must go to Olivia Wu, who identified the potential of this cacao and recognized the uniqueness of Maya Farm as a terroir worth highlighting. Without her, this bar wouldn’t exist!!!

What struck me most is the complexity and clarity of its tropical profile. The flavors are intense yet composed: fruit-driven, but not acidic or aggressive. They lean into sweetness and aromatic depth, evoking the character of high-end Taiwanese coffee: lightly fruity, floral, naturally sweet, and astonishingly long in the aftertaste.

Towards the end and in the aftertaste, a floral-green note emerges that recalls the delicacy of wisteria tea, with hints of sweet peas adding a subtle vegetal nuance. It's a refined sensation that doesn’t interrupt the tasting, it completes it.

Beneath the fruit and floral flavors, there’s a soft, warm tone with sweet-spiced and nutty facets: something I associate with nutmeg geranium. It’s not dominant, but persistent, shaping the tasting experience from within.

This is not a bar you can evaluate quickly: it demands time and full attention. It’s a rare example of what can happen when exceptional cacao, meticulous sourcing, intelligent cultivation, and skilled chocolate making align. This isn’t just the best Taiwanese chocolate I’ve tasted: it sets a new standard for what single estate cacao from Taiwan can achieve.

Thank you, Vince and Olivia, for sharing this sample with me.