Forastero
“Foreigner”. Cacao trees of the “forastero” variety are probably the “original” cacao tree. Compared to criollo and trinitario strains, forastero has a high yield and is resistant to disease. It was therefore widely cultivated by European colonists, who brought the strain to Africa and South Asia. The flavor of Forastero tends to be stronger and blunter than criollo, and the beans are generally less desirable. Over the past couple of centuries, forastero cacao has replaced criollo in most of Central America. Most African cacao, and indeed, most of the world’s supply of beans, is forastero.