The Cacao Tasting Adventure
Not all cacao is created equal.
A new and unique sensorial experience, in a very small group with just one goal: taste the best cacao in the world and develop your palate understanding with single-origin crafted cacao.
Why should I go to this experience?
This is your chance to taste and learn about cacao straight from the source: this experience is guided by Jose Visconti, COO and the mind behind all Cacao Adventures products.
Jose has been working with indigenous communities and small family farms in Peru for over 10 years, learning from those who carry the knowledge of millenia. He is a chocolate lover and a cacao scientist. In short, he's the best person to guide you through the wonderful world of cacao.
Become a true cacao appreciator
The same way each wine demands different grapes, combinations and occasions, cacao is better enjoyed when you can wisely orchestrate unique terroirs, temperatures and aromas.
Wine is for the night as cacao is for the day: one brings you a relaxing feeling; the other brightens your day with energy to be your best self - if you just know how to use it the right way.
What you can expect from this experience
An invitation to explore the world of cacao through your senses. Whether you're tasting ceremonial cacao for the first time or you've walked this path before, this tasting will broaden how you see this gift from nature.
- Learn how to compare different cacao flavors and aromas
- Being able to differentiate real single-origin cacao from commercial or lab-grown chocolates.
- Understand how you can prepare cacao at home to keep its benefits at full potential
- A guided (but not boring) adventure to enable you to enjoy your ceremonial cacao
- Explore your palate sensations and get a deeper understanding of cacao
Meet your host: Jose Visconti
Jose is a cacao scout. For over ten years, he's tracked down the wild strains of cacao in Peru, following leads that start in scientific journals and end in the country's most biodiverse, hard-to-reach corners.
He works backward from the research, combing published studies to pinpoint where native cacao still grows, then going there himself to find the farmers who've protected these strains for generations, often on instinct alone.
It started in 2014, when an NGO-funded project brought him into these communities. He saw farmers with exceptional genetics being overlooked simply because they were hard to reach — and matched that with research naming Peru a global hotspot for cacao biodiversity.
Once these alliances are forged, the real work begins. Jose partners with the small farmers to master cacao fermentation, drying, and sorting — the techniques that determine whether a bean reaches its full potential or falls short of it.
From the forest floor to his own lab, the process is exacting: every batch tested, refined, and prepared to a standard that the world's best chocolate makers can build on.
Now it's time for you to taste the results in a guided session with the Cacao Adventures co-founder, exploring the unique terroirs behind every bean.
Frequently asked questions
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Each Tasting Room session runs for 45 minutes.
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Sessions are intimate - a maximum of 8 guests per table.
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At our Carlsbad store: 5674 El Camino Real, Ste H, Carlsbad, California 92008.
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Free parking available on site.
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The experience costs $50.
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Not at all. The session is designed for curious first-timers as well as longtime cacao drinkers — no prior tasting experience required.
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Sessions are by appointment only and subject to availability. We recommend booking early, as spots are limited and sessions fill quickly.
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Three single-origin cacaos from three distinct regions of Peru, tasted side by side so you can compare flavors, aromas, and the character of each terroir.
