- 4-5 days
- Sun - Thu, 16 - 20 Feb 2025
- Dominican Republic, Dominican Republic
- $3750
Fully understand how origin chocolate gets its unique flavour profile through a guided tour of the origin, taking in the key cacao sources and learning about the farming, culture, history and cacao grown in the origin. Origin Field Study tours will give you and understanding of the land, the terroir of the cacao and a chance to follow the flavour of the origin from cacao fruit to finished chocolate.
The Dominican Republic is a rich lush cacao country, with larger than average cacao farms in beautiful green surroundings, many on the edge of the low northern mountain range. A large part of the market for Dominican cacao was for unfermented ‘Sanchez’ cacao, traditionally produced for the North American chocolate candy makers. Because of this, fermentation and good flavour were not important in most of the 20th century. The country moved towards fine cacao production from the 1980s onwards and fermentation and drying are now mostly done in larger collection centres working with farmer communities.
This large-scale post-harvest model, which includes some of the largest fermentation centres in the world, allows for the production of high quality cacao and the exploration of new fermentation experiments and techniques. Combined with a new understanding of the genetics of the country’s cacao, this approach has unlocked new flavour potential, spurred on by the growing number of new craft chocolate makers in the Dominican Republic.
In this Origin Study Field Study course we explore the most important cacao producers, cacao collection centres and fermentaries, historically important farms, new initiatives, cultural experiences and chocolate makers. This is a chance to really get inside the origin and to understand where the typical flavours of Dominican Republic in chocolate come from, as well as the exciting new flavour potential coming from clonal cacao and new projects.
The Dominican Republic Field Study trip will include:
- A deep dive into cacao production in the origin, exploring the landscape, geography and culture
- Visits to famous single origin cacao producers, such as Zorzal and Rizek
- An exploration of cacao genetics and single cultivar varieties
- Visits to some of the most advanced and largest fermentation centres in the world
- Visits to new projects and farms
- Visits to local bean-to-bar chocolate makers
- Culinary experiences led by IICCT founder, chef and author, Maricel Presilla
The tour will start and finish in Santo Domingo, including classroom sessions, chocolate visits and final exams. The main base during the trip will be in San Francisco de Macorís, the hub of Dominican cacao in Duarte province, with excursions to other locations from our base there.
The field trip will take place in English and Spanish, and it will be led by IICCT founders Martin Christy and Dr. Maricel E. Presilla.
What’s covered
The booking fee is $3750 USD/person and includes:
- Hotels and all meals (Excluding alcohol, 5 nights accommodation from 15-20 February)
- All transport during the field trip (Travel to or from the Dominican Republic not included)
- The field trip runs from 16 – 20 February, accommodation is included for 15 February in Santo Domingo to allow for a prompt start on 16 February
Bring your partner
We realise many of you would love to travel with your partner for the trip, but that they might not wish to sit the exams or take part in all the study activities. For this situation, we have a special reduction of $800 USD off the list price for one partner travelling with a full-fee student. The partner place will include all visits, hotels and meals but not the exams or accreditation fees. To include a partner, please sign up for 2 places and pay the deposit and we will then adjust your final invoice. Please note that the partner reduction may be reduced if any discount or coupon codes are applied, to ensure costs are covered.
Origin Study Introduction – 14-15 February 2025, Santo Domingo
We will also run the Origin Study Introduction course in Santo Domingo for two days before the field trip. If you did not already attend this course, then we do strongly recommend that you join the Introduction course to give you the full background and tasting experience before the field trip. Please contact us for a combined price if you are attending both the Origin Introduction and Origin Field Study courses.
Origin Field Study
The origin study program takes the subject of chocolate flavour study to a more detailed level, focusing on each cacao producing country – or region in larger countries. The program will give you the background and knowledge to fully understand the flavour profile of an origin based on its cacao genetics and introductions, climate, farming practices and the culture and history of the origin.
Origin Study is divided into two courses for each origin, beginning with an introductory course, which takes place in a classroom setting or can be taken online. You can then take your origin journey a step further with the Origin Field Study trip, which is based around a field visit to the origin, exploring the culture and cacao sources of the origin in person.
The field visit gives a unique and structured opportunity to explore the origin in person, with special access to many important cacao sources in the origin, led by Institute founders and senior teachers. The trip is structured around a sensory taste experience, taking in the local culinary culture as well as following the flavour profile of the origin from cacao fruits, through fermentation, drying, lab samples and finished chocolate. By exploring how and when cacao reached the origin, new introductions over time, the genetics of the cacao and the influence of the climate and farming techniques, we can begin to truly understand the origin flavour profile.
- An in-depth field exploration of the geography and history of the origin
- Visits to the main cacao producers in the region, including well-known names and lesser-known farms and cooperatives
- Exploring and understanding the different post-harvest fermentation and drying practices in the origin
- Exploring the types and varieties of cacao growing in the origin
- Advanced sensorial study, tasting and profiling
- Visits to local chocolate makers, if available in the region
- Networking events and group dinners
- Certified IICCT tasters wishing to extend their chocolate learning
- Tasters who want to develop their understanding of individual origins
- Educators who want to develop their background knowledge
- Chocolate makers who want to learn more about the source of the cacao they are using