Criollo
“Native”. Criollo is a strain of cacao known for its more sophisticated flavor. The trees are relatively low yielding, and susceptible to disease. These two qualities suggest the strain was deliberately bred from the hardier “forastero” variety. Criollo trees were common to Mexico and originally planted widely, but due to the difficulty in growing them, growers and plantation owners replaced the majority of cacao crops with forastero. The reality of cross pollination means there is no such thing as “pure” criollo trees today, but strong criollo strains are found in Venezuela and Mexico.