Cacao nibs

Think of a roasted, cracked cocoa bean: crunchy, a touch bitter, with a dark sweetness that hasn't met sugar yet.

When they show up in the cup they bring depth and a long, dry, clean finish that balances the fruit and gives the sip structure.

You'll find them in the most intense natural and fermented coffees, often alongside dark grape, plum and spice.

In sensory terms, cacao nibs stand for roots: the link between fruit and roast, between the field and the cup.

Recognising cacao nibs means recognising noble bitterness – the kind that stays elegant and doesn't smother anything.

In the grammar of taste, it's the background word, the one that holds all the others together.