Sirene Chocolate, Canada

What happens when you graduate in Cell and Molecular Biology on the way to a career in medicine, decide instead to pursue photography and after 18 years doing that, decide to turn a hobby into a business? You become a chocolate maker, of course. Introducing, Taylor Kennedy of Sirene Chocolate. After 18 years photographing for National Geographic, Taylor founded his chocolate company in 2013 and has never looked back.

For Taylor, the journey of making chocolate begins with finding farms that will make for a good partnership with Sirene. The flavour of the cacao bean grown there, the farm’s working conditions, can he pay the farmer directly for the beans are all important considerations. Take for example, Sirene’s Lachua, Guatemala bar. The cacao beans in this single origin dark chocolate bar originate in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala where the indigenous Q’eqchi Maya farmers heritage traces back thousands of years of growing cacao. Their knowledge of cacao farming is indisputable. The Sirene bar is an intensely flavourful bar, with fruity notes.

Sirene has expanded to include Limited Edition bars. The Soconusco, Mexico is one of those Limited Edition bars. This region has been enjoying cacao for over 4000 years! Sirene chose to reflect the bean’s history in this bar - a hotter roast emulates the method of wood fire roasting used in the past, and a texture that leaves the bar with a hint of grit, reminiscent of the little bits of nib left from stone grinding.

Sirene uses only two ingredients in their single origin bars - cocoa beans and organic cane sugar, ensuring the natural flavour of the cacao bean is the hero in the taste experience. The other bars in Sirene’s collection, also made with single origin beans and organic sugar, offer some interesting and unique additions such as Caramelized White, Dark Milk with Cardamom and Mayan Spice with cilantro and garlic included in the allspice mix.

An international award winning chocolate maker, we’re happy to present Sirene bean to bar chocolate for your tasting pleasure.