Our first drop. Made from cacao grown not far from home. Working with this lot taught me how much fermentation and drying decide the direction long before the beans reach the mill. By the time I roast, I’m not inventing flavor - I’m listening for it. The roast here is gentle. Coastal cacao with bright edges doesn’t need force. The real work was in the balance: keeping the tang alive while rounding it out just enough. During conching, a soft tamarind note began to show itself - subtle, but unmistakable. I left it there. This batch means a lot to me. – Aditya