ec-hacienda-limon

Hacienda Limón

Ecuador · Guayas (Daule and Babahoyo river watersheds — Arriba zone)  draft

Nacional

Hacienda Limón is a 110-hectare estate at the foot of the Andes in the Guayas basin, growing surviving pure Nacional cacao from 1950s Rockefeller Foundation stock. It received the Heirloom Cacao Preservation designation in 2014 and is referenced repeatedly as an exemplar of the original Arriba Nacional flavour.

EquatorTropic of CancerTropic of CapricornFar North Queensland — AustraliaIxcacao — San Felipe — BelizeStann Creek — BelizeToledo (Maya Mountain) — BelizeToledo Cacao Growers Association (TCGA) — BelizeAlto Beni — BoliviaBaures — Itenez wild cacao — BoliviaBaures / Iténez — BoliviaEl Ceibo (Alto Beni) — BoliviaTrópico de Cochabamba — BoliviaWild Bolivian Amazon Cacao (Beni) — BoliviaBahia (Ilhéus) — BrazilBahia cabruca — Cocoa Coast — BrazilLinhares (Espírito Santo) — BrazilMedicilândia (Transamazônica) — BrazilRondônia — BrazilTomé-Açu (Pará) — BrazilTransamazônica — central Pará — BrazilVale do Juruá — Acre native cacao — BrazilBarombi-Kang (IRAD regional trial) — CameroonCameroon (bulk cacao) — CameroonMbangassina (Grand Mbam) — CameroonPHP (Penja) — CameroonSouth-West (Meme) — CameroonAntioquia — ColombiaArauca — ColombiaCaquetá Amazon piedmont — ColombiaCundinamarca — Yacopí / Pacho — ColombiaHuila — ColombiaSantander — ColombiaSierra Nevada de Santa Marta — ColombiaTolima — ColombiaTumaco — ColombiaTalamanca — Costa RicaTalamanca — APPTA — Costa RicaUpala — Costa RicaAbengourou (Indénié-Djuablin) — Côte d'IvoireCAPEDIG (Duékoué) — Côte d'IvoireCôte d'Ivoire (bulk cacao) — Côte d'IvoireECAM (Méagui) — Côte d'IvoireSCEB (Agnéby-Tiassa) — Côte d'IvoireSoubré (Nawa) — Côte d'IvoireBaracoa — CubaBaracoa — Jamal central processing — CubaEsco Kivu (Beni-Watalinga) — Democratic Republic of the CongoNorth Kivu / Beni — Democratic Republic of the CongoTshopo (Bengamisa) — Democratic Republic of the CongoBois Cotlette — DominicaCONACADO — Dominican RepublicCOOPROAGRO — Dominican RepublicHato Mayor — Dominican RepublicHispaniola (San Francisco de Macorís) — Dominican RepublicÖko Caribe — Dominican RepublicReserva Zorzal — Dominican RepublicSan Francisco de Macorís — Dominican RepublicYamasá — Dominican RepublicArriba Nacional — EcuadorCamino Verde (Balao) — EcuadorEl Oro — EcuadorEsmeraldas — EcuadorGuayas — EcuadorHacienda Limón — EcuadorLos Ríos — EcuadorManabí — EcuadorNapo (Kallari) — EcuadorNorte de Esmeraldas — APROCANE — EcuadorSucumbíos — EcuadorVinces — EcuadorZamora-Chinchipe — APEOSAE — EcuadorVanua Levu — FijiABOCFA (Suhum) — GhanaGhana (West African Amelonado) — GhanaJuabeso-Bia — GhanaKuapa Kokoo — GhanaOffinso Fine Flavour Cooperative — GhanaSefwi-Wiawso — GhanaYayra Glover (Suhum) — GhanaGrenada — GrenadaGrenada Chocolate Cooperative — Hermitage — GrenadaAlta Verapaz — GuatemalaCahabón — GuatemalaIzabal — GuatemalaLachuá — GuatemalaPolochic Valley — GuatemalaSuchitepéquez — GuatemalaGuinea (bulk cacao) — GuineaAcul-du-Nord — HaitiGrand-Anse — Dame-Marie — HaitiGrand'Anse — HaitiNord (FECCANO) — HaitiAtlántida (Pico Bonito) — HondurasCholoma — APACH — HondurasCopán — HondurasPatuca — Tawahka — HondurasWampusirpi — HondurasEast Godavari — IndiaIdukki — IndiaKarnataka — IndiaKerala — IndiaTamil Nadu — IndiaWest Godavari — IndiaAceh — IndonesiaBali — IndonesiaFlores — IndonesiaHalmahera — IndonesiaJava — IndonesiaLampung — IndonesiaMamuju — IndonesiaPolewali Mandar — IndonesiaRansiki — IndonesiaSulawesi — IndonesiaJamaica — JamaicaMorgan's Valley, Clarendon — JamaicaRichmond, Saint Mary — JamaicaLiberia (bulk cacao) — LiberiaLofa (Voinjama / Foya) — LiberiaNimba (Karnplay) — LiberiaÅkesson's Ambolikapiky — MadagascarAly Robert (Antsatsaka) — MadagascarFOFIFA Ankatafahely (Ambanja) — MadagascarMAVA Plantation (Sambirano) — MadagascarMillot Estate (Bejofo) — MadagascarSambirano Valley — MadagascarT'MAR (Upper Sambirano) — MadagascarSabah (Tawau) — MalaysiaSarawak — MalaysiaComalcalco — Chontalpa — MexicoComalcalco — Hacienda Jesús María (CACEP) — MexicoLos Tuxtlas — MexicoOaxaca (Chinantla) — MexicoSoconusco — MexicoTabasco — MexicoTapachula — Soconusco heirloom cooperatives — MexicoYucatán rejolladas (sacred Maya cacao groves) — MexicoMatagalpa — NicaraguaMining Triangle — Bonanza, Siuna, Rosita — NicaraguaNueva Guinea — NicaraguaRío San Juan — NicaraguaWaslala — NicaraguaCRIN (Ajassor seed garden) — NigeriaCross River (Ikom-Etung-Boki) — NigeriaNigeria (bulk cacao) — NigeriaBocas del Toro — PanamaCOCABO — Bocas del Toro — PanamaComarca Ngäbe-Buglé — PanamaBougainville — Papua New GuineaEast Sepik — Papua New GuineaKarkar Island — Papua New GuineaMadang — Papua New GuineaNew Britain — Papua New GuineaNew Ireland — Papua New GuineaAmazonas (Bagua) — PeruChuncho — PeruHuánuco (Tingo María) — PeruMadre de Dios — PeruMarañón Canyon — PeruOxapampa — Yánesha & Asháninka — PeruPiura Blanco — PeruQuillabamba — Alto Urubamba — PeruSan Martín — PeruSan Martín — ACOPAGRO — PeruSatipo — PeruUcayali — PeruVizcatán del Ene — VRAEM — PeruBatangas — PhilippinesBohol — PhilippinesCebu — PhilippinesDavao — PhilippinesDavao de Oro — PhilippinesDavao Oriental — PhilippinesNegros Occidental — PhilippinesHacienda Chocolat (Fajardo) — Puerto RicoSaint Lucia Island Growers — Saint LuciaSamoa — SamoaCECAB (São Tomé) — São Tomé and PríncipeCECAQ-11 (São Tomé) — São Tomé and PríncipePríncipe (Terreiro Velho) — São Tomé and PríncipeRoça Agostinho Neto (Rio do Ouro) — São Tomé and PríncipeRoça Bombaim — São Tomé and PríncipeRoça Diogo Vaz — São Tomé and PríncipeSão Tomé (roça cacao) — São Tomé and PríncipeNgoleagorbu (Kenema-Kailahun, Gola) — Sierra LeoneSierra Leone (bulk cacao) — Sierra LeoneGuadalcanal — Solomon IslandsMakira — Solomon IslandsMalaita — Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands — Solomon IslandsKandy — Sri LankaKurunegala — Sri LankaMatale — Sri LankaRabot Estate (Soufrière) — St. LuciaKokoa Kamili (Kilombero Valley) — TanzaniaKyela (Mababu) — TanzaniaMababu Cooperative — TanzaniaMbeya (Southern Highlands) — TanzaniaTanga (Usambara historical) — TanzaniaChanthaburi — ThailandChiang Mai — ThailandChumphon — ThailandKpalimé-Akébou (Choco Togo / Vision+) — TogoTogo (bulk cacao) — TogoBrasso Seco — Trinidad and TobagoFour Roads Tamana — Trinidad and TobagoHeights of Aripo — Trinidad and TobagoInternational Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad (ICGT) — Centeno — Trinidad and TobagoLopinot — Trinidad and TobagoMarper Farm — Trinidad and TobagoTableland — Trinidad and TobagoTobago (Roxborough) — Trinidad and TobagoTobago Cocoa Estate — Trinidad and TobagoTrinitario Heartland — Trinidad and TobagoBundibugyo / Semuliki — UgandaMukono-Buikwe — UgandaSemuliki Forest (Latitude Trade) — UgandaHawai'i Island — United StatesO'ahu (Waialua) — United StatesAore — VanuatuEpi — VanuatuMalekula — VanuatuCanoabo — VenezuelaCarenero (Barlovento) — VenezuelaCaripito — VenezuelaChoroní — VenezuelaChuao — VenezuelaCuyagua — VenezuelaHacienda San José (Paria) — VenezuelaOcumare de la Costa — VenezuelaPatanemo — VenezuelaPorcelana — VenezuelaRío Caribe — VenezuelaSur del Lago — VenezuelaYaracuy — Güáquira — VenezuelaBà Rịa-Vũng Tàu — VietnamBến Tre — VietnamĐắk Lắk — VietnamĐắk Nông — VietnamĐồng Nai — VietnamLâm Đồng — VietnamTiền Giang — Vietnam
CountryEcuador
RegionGuayas (Daule and Babahoyo river watersheds — Arriba zone)
Growing regionAmericas
Coordinates-1.62°, -79.85° (approx.)
Elevation20-150 m
Producerestate · Hacienda Limón
Genetic groupsNacional
Traditional classNacional
Also known asLimón estate, Heirloom Nacional Limón
Bean notesOriginal pure Nacional material sourced from the Rockefeller Foundation genebank in the 1950s. Confirmed Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) designation in 2014.
Harvest seasonmain Apr-Jun; secondary Oct-Dec
FermentationPre-drying before fermentation, then box fermentation managed at the estate.
DryingSun-dried after pre-drying step; total post-harvest tuned to a low-acidity profile.
Flavourcaramel · nuts · soft floral · raisin · balanced cocoa
CertificationsHeirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP)
Updated2026-05-23

Sources

  • Laflor — 'Hacienda Limón — Ecuador' origin profile, https://laflor.ch/en/chocolate/origins/hacienda-limon-ecuador/
  • Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund — Hacienda Limón designation, https://www.hcpcacao.org/heirloom-designations.html

Related origins

Americas ec-arriba-nacional Arriba Nacional Ecuador Nacionaladmixture floral · jasmine · soft spice · mild cocoa Americas ec-camino-verde-balao Camino Verde (Balao) Ecuador · Guayas (Balao; centralised fermentary now in Durán) Nacionaladmixture honeysuckle · walnut · guava · bright fruit Americas ec-el-oro El Oro Ecuador · El Oro Nacionaladmixture cocoa · nutty · mild fruit · light floral Americas ec-esmeraldas Esmeraldas Ecuador · Esmeraldas Nacionaladmixture cocoa · light fruit · nutty · mild floral Americas ec-guayas Guayas Ecuador · Guayas (Guayaquil basin) Nacionaladmixture cocoa · nutty · mild fruit · earthy Americas ec-los-rios Los Ríos Ecuador · Los Ríos Nacionaladmixture cocoa · nutty · mild fruit · earthy
Trust receipt — debb8950c0dbd475 — draft
Record SHA-256
debb8950c0dbd475Full hash — debb8950c0dbd4755a3ba0a8ee47288cdfd1f1ce34ba69e4d71b396966bc448e
OpenTimestamps proof
(stamping pending)
Internet Archive snapshot
(snapshot pending)
First indexed
(not recorded)
Last revised
2026-05-23
Status
draft
Cited sources
2

Verify this record →