Seram Island Cacao

Direct Trade

This single-estate producer is the only cacao plantation on the densely forested and mountainous Seram Island. This small island in Indonesia’s Maluku province is one of the most remote cacao terroirs in the world, located on the edge of Manusela National Park.

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Sensory profile

These beans come from the archipelago known as the Spice Islands, which have been renowned since the 16th century for producing cloves, nutmeg and mace. These beans bring aromas of spice and coffee, dark dried fruits and a nutty richness.

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We follow Cocoa of Excellence’s flavour guidelines. A description of the terminologies used can be found below.

 Cocoa: Typical flavour of well-fermented, roasted cacao beans

Acidity: Perception of acidity that can be found in citric or other fruit acids

Bitterness: Typically perceived in caffeine, coffee, kola nut, some beers and grapefruits

Astringency: Perception of astringency that can be perceived as a velvety sensation on the sides of mouth and tongue. Typical of tannins in some wines or beers. Can also be perceived between tongue and palate and/or at the back of the front teeth and inside lips and gums. Typical of raw nut skins and green banana skins

Sweet: The characteristic sweet flavour that can be found in white sugar, browned sugar, panela, honey and caramel

Fresh Fruit: A catch-all term to capture the flavour that can be found in citrus, tropical and stone fruits such as strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, acai, lemon, pineapple, mango, apricot and banana
Browned Fruit: Typical of dried fruit such as dried apricot, banana, yellow raisin and fig. Covers brown and dark fruits such as prunes, dates, plums and dark cherry

Nutty: Typical of hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, walnut, cashew, almond and brazil nut

Floral: The floral flavour attributes typical of freshly cut grass, young green leaves, herbs like thyme and rosemary, jasmine, honeysuckle, rose, lilac, lilies etc

Woody: Typically associated with the aromatic properties of freshly cut wood, both light woods such as ash, beach and maple and dark woods such as oak, walnut and teak

Spice: Typical of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, liquorice, tonka, vanilla, black pepper and dried tobacco

Smoky: The flavour associated with a smoky aroma such as those given off when burning charcoal and wood chip

The Provenance

This single-estate combines cutting-edge plantation management with the natural richness of the terroir to produce some of the world’s finest cacao. A science-based approach on all parts of the process, from seed selection to fermentation protocols, helps to bring out the nuances of the cacao’s flavour profile and showcase what the Spice Islands have to offer.
The Seram Single-Estate actively engages with the local community and has exemplary sustainability credentials. These include establishing a clinic facility, renovating the church and mosque, and funding schools through computer equipment, uniforms, stationery, scholarships and teacher salaries.
The plantation prides itself on its gender empowerment initiatives and boasts over 40% employment of women, as well as providing work opportunities for the tribal communities in the surrounding hills. Seasonal workers from the Wahai tribe are known to make a three-day journey here, bringing rambutan fruits, agarwood and honey to trade for provisions before returning to their villages.
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Our Process

The Farmers

Sourced from a single estate

Fermentation

2 tiered boxes
24-24-24-
24-24-24

Drying

3-5 days on a cement patio

Traceabilty

Bag level

Carbon footprint
All beans sourced from our direct supply chain are carbon neutral.
The footprint is calculated by examining the impact of agricultural inputs, land use change, and logistics. We offset this with carbon credits to ensure our cacao is environmentally sustainable.
Genetic Variety- Trinitario
Bean Count – 86
Bean Weight – 116
Mould – 1.67%
Infestation – 0.67%
Slate – 0.00%
Violet – 2.67%
Moisture – 6.88%
Flat Beans – 0.54%
Foreign Material – 0.13%
Clusters – 0.42%
Broken Beans – 1.17%
Cocoa Fragments -1.16%
Cocoa Sievings -0.15%
Cadmium Level (ppm) – 0.447
Cocoa Butter – 49.00%
Type – Jute Bags
Net Weight – 62.5kg
Gross Weight – 63.5kg

Discover flavour and quality

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