Ara Chocolat Bernabé Martinique 70% Dark Chocolate Bar

58 gram bar - Paris, France

A true rarity in the world of chocolate, Ara Chocolat’s Bernabé bar is crafted from cacao grown in Martinique, a French Caribbean island with a long—but often overlooked—cacao tradition. The Bernabé family and their cooperative, VALCACO, work to preserve native cacao varieties while farming in ways that respect the island’s ecosystem.

When tasting this bar, the first thing I notice is how expressive it is. Bright fruity and floral notes rise immediately, followed by hints of almond and a subtle touch of spice and wood. It’s a layered chocolate that feels lively and complex, and to me it captures something unmistakably Caribbean in its character.

Bernabé 70% is also a milestone for Ara. It’s their first 100% French chocolate: cacao grown on French soil in Martinique and crafted into chocolate in their Paris workshop. From plantation to bar, it brings together local agriculture, careful fermentation, and the quiet precision of French chocolate making.

I find this bar especially fun to taste slowly—the flavors keep evolving as it melts, revealing new little nuances with each bite.

Cacao Origin: Martinique, French Caribbean (Bernabé family cooperative, VALCACO)
Bean Type: Amazonian