Character
The Story of Cocoa blossom
Tiny pinkish-white flowers that grow directly from the cacao trunk, producing a rare, green-floral absolute unlike chocolate.
Heritage
The cacao tree carries a name that reflects its sacred status: Linnaeus designated it Theobroma, meaning food of the gods. Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, particularly the Maya and Aztecs, revered cacao for its beans, incorporating the fruit into ritual ceremonies and as currency. The delicate blossoms, however, attracted little attention from the colonial traders who first encountered them. European botanists of the 16th century found the trunk-flowering habit remarkable, yet commercial interest centered entirely on the beans. It is only in contemporary perfumery that the blossom has gained recognition as a distinct aromatic material, prized for adding a lighter, more aromatic dimension to the traditional chocolate note.
At a Glance
3
Feature this note
Ecuador
Primary source region
Ingredient Details
Solvent extraction
Blossoms
Did You Know
"Cauliflory—the tree flowering directly from its trunk and main branches—is unusual among cultivated trees."
Pyramid Presence