From Tree to Bar: The Art of Chocolate at Mason Chocolates
In the cool, fertile highlands of Taro, Bali, chocolate begins not in a factory, but on the tree. At Mason Chocolates, guests can follow cacao on its complete journey from plantation to finished chocolate, discovering the craft, precision and patience behind something most of us know only as the final indulgence.
The experience begins outdoors among Mason’s own cacao trees, cultivated across five hectares surrounding Koko Bambu Restaurant. Here, colourful cacao pods grow directly from trunks and branches, offering a rare opportunity to see chocolate in its raw, living form and discover where its journey truly begins. It is a connection to the land that reflects a simple philosophy: great chocolate starts with great cacao.
Inside the adjoining chocolate laboratory, artisan craftsmanship takes centre stage. Using world-class Selmi equipment, skilled Balinese chocolatiers trained under European expertise oversee every stage of production on-site. Beans are fermented, dried, roasted, winnowed, conched, aged and tempered with precision, allowing the distinctive characteristics of Indonesian cacao to emerge. Mason Chocolates works with select beans sourced from across the archipelago, including the rare Criollo variety, prized for its delicate aroma and complexity.
Tasting the finished chocolate reveals just how much origin and craftsmanship can influence flavor. Much like fine wine, different cacao varieties, origins, percentages and ageing techniques produce their own characteristics, with notes ranging from honey and dried fruit to gentle acidity and deeper roasted flavours.
Guests can also take the experience into their own hands through chocolate making, learning more about the craft while creating their own chocolate to enjoy.
The journey concludes at Mason’s retail boutique, where artisan chocolate bars, pralines, truffles and gift selections showcase the results of the process firsthand. From cacao growing on the tree to the final tempered chocolate, each creation is rooted in the same combination of Indonesian cacao, Balinese craftsmanship and a passion for the art of chocolate.
