Medellin: Colombian Cacao Workshop & Make Your Own Chocolate Bar

Summary

Medellin chocolate workshop roast cacao taste local flavors

You’ll dive right into Medellin’s cacao culture—roasting beans, sipping spicy shots, and crafting your own chocolate bar from scratch. Expect laughter over language slip-ups and warm guidance from locals as you taste your way through every stage of Colombian chocolate-making. The smells linger long after you leave—and so does that feeling of connection.

What’s the experience like?

There’s this moment in Laureles where you’re handed a steaming mug of hot chocolate, and—okay, I didn’t expect the cheese. You dunk it right in, just like our guide Laura said. It melts slowly, softening into the drink, and suddenly you’re not just tasting chocolate—you’re tasting Medellín. The air smelled faintly sweet but also earthy, like rain-soaked wood. Laura grinned when she caught me sniffing the cacao beans before we roasted them. “That’s how you know they’re good,” she said. I believed her.

The workshop was more hands-on than I thought—a proper chocolate tour, not just watching someone else do it. We cracked open a cacao pod (it’s stickier inside than you’d think), then toasted the beans until the room filled with this toasty, nutty smell that lingered on my fingers for hours after. Grinding them was kind of meditative—everyone fell quiet except for the scrape of stone on stone. At one point, Laura handed out a spicy cacao shot that went straight to my head; I coughed, everyone laughed (including me), and then we moved on to making our own bars.

I got carried away with toppings—maybe too many dried mango pieces? But who cares. Tempering the 62% dark chocolate on marble felt weirdly satisfying; it cooled so quickly under my hands. There was a moment where we all just stood there, waiting for our creations to set, chatting about where we were from and what brought us to Colombia. Someone tried to say “bobos” in Spanish and got it hilariously wrong—Laura corrected him gently but couldn’t stop giggling either.

By the end, my hands still smelled like cocoa butter and there was a faint smear of chocolate on my sleeve I didn’t notice until later (classic). We finished with a cacao cocktail spiked with rum—honestly smoother than I expected—and swapped WhatsApps before heading out into the city again. Sometimes I still think about that first sip of hot chocolate with cheese melting through it; it’s such a small thing but somehow sticks with you.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Colombian cacao hands-on workshop

• Warm welcome with hot chocolate and cheese
• Toast cacao like true Colombians
• Peel cacao and enjoy meditative ceremony
• Drink spicy ancestral cacao shot
• Grind cacao into chocolate liquor
• Indulge in chocolate exfoliation
• Make artisanal Colombian chocolate bobos
• Drink refreshing flavoured cacao water
• Temper dark 62% chocolate on marble
• Create personalized chocolate bar with toppings
• Finish with cacao cocktail with rum

Top questions

How long does the Medellin Colombian Cacao Experience last?

The workshop lasts approximately 3.5 hours.

Is this Medellin chocolate tour suitable for families?

Yes, infants and children are welcome; strollers and infant seats are available.

Do I get to make my own chocolate bar during the tour?

Yes, each participant creates their own artisanal chocolate bar to take home.

Are drinks included in the Medellin cacao workshop?

You’ll taste 4–5 different cacao-based drinks and bites during the experience.

Where is the workshop located in Medellin?

The experience takes place at a Chocolate House in Laureles, Medellin.

Is the venue wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible including transportation options.

What languages is the tour offered in?

The workshop is available in English or Spanish.

Can I buy extra chocolate bars at the end?

You can purchase additional bars that you make during the workshop if you wish.

What’s included

Your afternoon includes all workshop materials—apron, utensils, molds—and plenty of ingredients to personalize your own chocolate bar. You’ll enjoy several tastings along the way: hot chocolate with cheese on arrival, spicy ancestral cacao shots, refreshing flavored cacao water, plus a final cocktail mixed with rum. Photography help is offered if you want those sticky-fingered memories saved for later—and WiFi is available throughout your time at the Chocolate House in Laureles.