Juan Choconat - Chocolate Sin Azucar - 100% Cacao Gran Reserva (bar) - Jan. 18, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Juan Choconat
Chocolate Sin Azucar 100% Cacao Gran Reserva (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 157 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Elebar Snacks, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate & Colombia Theme Week. 

Today's Chocolate Sin Azucar (Chocolate Without Sugar) 100% Cacao Gran Reserva (bar) was made by Juan Choconat SAS (Ibague, Tolima, Colombia) and imported by Elebar Snacks LLC (with locations in Illinois and Clearwater, FL).

The packaging featured an illustration of Colombian cacao farmer (Elver Aguiar) next to a scannable code with his story. 

This shipment also came with its own backstory. I ordered several Juan Choconat bars online via an importer in Aug. 2025 -- when new U.S. tariffs on many imported goods became effective. The bars did arrive eventually, but it was months later. 

I was grateful each bar came in a sealed pouch that helped prevent aroma and flavor note degradation/disappearance. That said, do try to eat this chocolate quickly after you open it. (If you wait a few days, you'll miss out on some of the lighter, more volatile notes. It will not taste the same.)

Aroma and flavor notes for this 100% cacao bar included: dark chocolate, faint toasted bread, muffled acidic fruit (citrus, mango, stone fruit - plum/prune); slightly bitter green; and wood (gentle charcoal, smoke and peat). 

The chocolate had a muffled intensity. I might pair this chocolate with whiskey and/or a cigar. (I don't smoke, but I'm only guessing the cigar pairing might work.)

Texture: I was delighted this bar still broke with a snap and I enjoyed the very appealing, thick, creamy melt and smooth texture -- despite no added cocoa butter, and the fact that it had a slightly blotchy-bloomed appearance (likely from temperature volatility related to tariff-related shipping delays back in August).

I appreciated the hearty, complex flavors, and the fact the makers coaxed out these authentic, intense yet very balanced, heritage cacao flavors -- with only one ingredient. 

This bar was creamy, balanced and intense. It was a bit more robust and acidic than yesterday's 100% unroasted cacao sibling. I appreciated the hearty, complex flavors, and the fact the makers coaxed out these authentic, intense yet very balanced, heritage cacao flavors -- with only one ingredient. 

Ingredients: Cacao nibs.

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Fruit, Milk or Nuts."

Juan Choconat - Chocolate Oscura - 100% Cacao Sin Tostar (Unroasted) - Jan. 17, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Juan Choconat
Chocolate Oscuro 76% Cacao Sin Tostar (Unroasted) (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 138 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Elebar Snacks, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate & Colombia Theme Week. 

Today's Chocolate Oscuro (Dark Chocolate) 100% Cacao Sin Tostar (Unroasted) (bar) was made by Juan Choconat SAS (Ibague, Tolima, Colombia) and imported by Elebar Snacks LLC (with locations in Illinois and Clearwater, FL).

The packaging featured an illustration of Colombian cacao farmer (Reynel Rodriguez) next to a scannable code with his story. (Each bar in this shipment provided similar information for different cacao farmers in Colombia.) 

Today's bar (and others in this order from the same company) also came with an additional backstory, and footnotes at the end. Spoiler alert: I ordered several Jaun Choconat bars online that were made in Colombia (via an importer) in Aug. 2025 -- when new U.S. tariffs on many imported goods became effective. The bars arrived months later.

Aroma and flavor notes for this 76% ("creole" hybrid Colombian) cacao bar included: aromatic relatively fruity, dark chocolate with appealing stone fruits (cherries, apricot), balanced, intense (but smooth) citrus (lemon preserves+ herbal butter), sweet green botanical syrup, and barely detectable wood and tobacco.

This was creamy, balanced, intensely beautiful criollo flavor at its best, distilled into one bar. It's rare to find a 100% cacao (no sugar) bar made with un-roasted Criollo varieties of cacao. It's even rarer to find one this good.

Texture: This bar broke with a snap and had a very appealing, thick, creamy melt and smooth texture -- despite a bloomed appearance (likely from tariff hold-ups back in August).*

After its journey, I was delighted this single ingredient, single origin Colombia chocolate still broke with a snap. I was impressed with the marvelous thick creamy melt and mouthfeel -- even though there was no added cacao butter.

And, the flavors were wonderful. (The packaging for each individual bar had remained sealed.) The makers used only ONE ingredient (cacao) to coax out these authentic, intense yet very balanced, heritage cacao flavors. Note: do try to eat this bar fairly soon after opening. (If you wait a few days, you'll miss out on some of the lighter, more volatile notes. It will not taste the same.)

Ingredients: Unroasted cacao nibs.

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Fruit, Milk or Nuts."

*New U.S. tariffs went into effect in April and August 2025 that affected imported goods from other countries.  

Importers and shippers were struggling to adhere to new requirements--about the time I ordered several Juan Choconat bars in August 2025 (peak transition/confusion time). The chocolate bars did finally arrive -- months later.

Fortunately, lawmakers realized that the U.S. grows less than 0.0001% of all the world's cacao-approximately 179 acres in Hawaii and 100 acres in Puerto Rico. We import most of our cacao from other countries so U.S. chocolatiers and chocolate makers can make chocolate; U.S. workers can keep their jobs; and customers can find their favorite chocolates on shelves or online.

The cacao tariffs were lifted a few months later, in Nov. 2025. (Although certain tariffs remained on West African cacao (where most of the world's cacao is grown.)

Note: As of today, every Juan Choconat bar that I ordered in August 2025 was "sold out" online.

"Sold out" can mean many things. A company is struggling to meet demand for high-quality products that are in short supply; a company is taking a break from making chocolate; a company is thinking about whether to continue to make chocolate; etc. Fingers crossed. 

Juan Choconat - Chocolate Oscuro 76% Cacao Sin Tostar (Unroasted) (bar) - Jan. 16, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Juan Choconat
Chocolate Oscuro 76% Cacao Sin Tostar (Unroasted) (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 138 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Elebar Snacks, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Colombia Theme Week. 

Today's Chocolate Oscuro (Dark Chocolate) 76% Cacao Sin Tostar (Unroasted) (bar) was made by Juan Choconat SAS (Ibague, Tolima, Colombia) and imported by Elebar Snacks LLC (with locations in Illinois and Clearwater, FL).

The bar came with an illustration of the cacao farmer (Alirio Restrepo) complete with a scannable code about his story. (Each bar in this shipment provided similar information for different cacao farmers in Colombia.) 

Today's bar (and others in this order from the same company) also came with an additional backstory, and footnotes at the end.

Spoiler alert: I ordered several Jaun Choconat bars online that were made in Colombia (via an importer) in Aug. 2025 -- when new U.S. tariffs on many imported goods became effective. Not a good time to order chocolate made outside the U.S. They arrived months later.

Aroma and flavor notes for this 76% ("creole" hybrid Colombian) cacao bar included: surprisingly gentle, chocolate-y, dark chocolate with appealing, soft, diffuse fruit (stone fruits, pear and barely detectable banana) and some fainter notes (maybe light lemon or citrus, faint green bean, faint wood) that I could barely taste.

The gentle flavors with criollo cacao-based chocolates. It was absolutely more balanced and less bitter (or acidic) because of the cacao; and the makers used unroasted cacao (to preserve nutrients and more delicate flavors present in heritage, criollo cacaos). There were also no harsh/burnt notes that can sometimes result from over-roasting.

Texture: Broke with a snap and had a fairly creamy melt and smooth texture. 

This order was held up due to newly enacted tariffs* and associated paperwork last August, and was likely allowed to sit in a warm place -- based on the mottled, bloomed appearance. This can happen very quickly if chocolates sit in the hot sun on a loading dock somewhere too long. Delays during the transportation process (loading/unloading/storing) can really impact product quality.

However, I was surprised and delighted that today's bar still broke with a snap and had a very nice smooth melt and mouthfeel. And the flavors were wonderful. (The packaging for each individual bar had remained sealed.)

The makers used only two ingredients (no added cocoa butter) to coax out these lovely, authentic cacao flavors.

Ingredients: Unroasted cacao nibs and unrefined cane sugar (panela).

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Fruit, Milk or Nuts."

*New U.S. tariffs went into effect in April and August 2025 that affected imported goods from other countries.  

Importers and shippers were struggling to adhere to new requirements--about the time I ordered several Juan Choconat bars in August 2025 (peak transition/confusion time). The chocolate bars arrived -- months later.

Fortunately, lawmakers realized that the U.S. grows less than 0.0001% of all the world's cacao-approximately 179 acres in Hawaii and 100 acres in Puerto Rico. We import most of our cacao from other countries so U.S. chocolatiers and chocolate makers can make chocolate; U.S. workers can keep their jobs; and customers can find their favorite chocolates on shelves or online.

The cacao tariffs were lifted a few months later, in Nov. 2025. (Although certain tariffs remained on West African cacao (where most of the world's cacao is grown.)

Throughout this period of volatility, I wondered how the 2025 changes affected cacao farmers outside the U.S. I don't know. (As of today, every Juan Choconat bar that I ordered in August 2025 was "sold out" online.) 

"Sold out" can mean many things. A company is struggling to meet demand for high-quality products that are in short supply; a company is taking a break from making chocolate; a company is thinking about whether to continue to make chocolate; etc. Fingers crossed.

Juan Choconat - Chocolate Oscuro 85% Cacao (bar) - Jan. 15, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Juan Choconat
Chocolate Oscuro 85% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 134 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $7.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Elebar Snacks, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate & Colombia Theme Week. 

Today's Chocolate Oscuro (Dark Chocolate) 85% (Unroasted) Cacao (bar) was made by Juan Choconat SAS (Ibague, Tolima, Colombia) and imported by Elebar Snacks LLC (with locations in Illinois and Clearwater, FL).

This bar was one of several Jaun Choconat bars ordered online (via an importer) in Aug. 2025 -- when new U.S. tariffs* on many imported goods became effective. (Spoiler alert: It wasn't the best time to order heat-sensitive products made outside the U.S.)

Aroma and flavor notes for this 85% ("creole" hybrid Colombian) cacao bar included: surprisingly gentle, chocolate-y, dark chocolate with appealing, soft toned fruits (cherries + other red berries, stone fruit), cherry pie, faint spice and very faint vegetable (potato) and barely detectable fresh bread.

There was some bitterness in this chocolate (expected for any 85%er). But this "bitterness" was oddly and seductively enjoyable. I've only found these gentle flavors with criollo cacao-based chocolates before. It was absolutely more balanced and less bitter (or acidic) than most 85% cacao chocolates, because of the cacao; and the makers used unroasted cacao (to preserve nutrients and more delicate flavors present in heritage, criollo cacaos). There were also no harsh/burnt notes that can sometimes result from over-roasting.

Texture: Broke with a snap and had a fairly creamy melt and smooth texture. 

As noted above this chocolate was held up due to changes in tariffs* last August, and was likely allowed to sit in a warm place -- based on the white-ish, bloomed appearance. This can happen very quickly if chocolates sit in the hot sun on a loading dock somewhere too long. Any prolonged delays can impact product quality.

Because of these challenges, I was grateful that today's bar still broke with a snap and had a very nice smooth melt and mouthfeel. And the flavors were wonderful. (The packaging for each individual bar had remained sealed.)

The makers used only two ingredients (no added cocoa butter) to coax out these lovely, authentic cacao flavors.

Ingredients: Unroasted Cacao Nibs and Unrefined Cane Sugar (Panela).

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Fruit, Milk or Nuts."

*New U.S. tariffs went into effect in April and August 2025 that affected imported goods from other countries.  

U.S. importers usually are the ones to pay tariffs...to the "U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP)" -- and this agency reports to U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. 

Cacao prices were already at record highs in 2025. So tariffs were not welcome news to most of us.

By fall 2025 (and likely with helpful input from large chocolate makers like Hershey's), lawmakers were likely reminded that the U.S. only grows less than 0.0001% of all the world's cacao--approximately 179 acres in Hawaii and 100 acres in Puerto Rico. We need to import the rest from cacao-growing countries so U.S. chocolatiers and chocolate makers can make chocolates; U.S. workers can keep their jobs; and customers can find their favorite chocolates on shelves or online.

The cacao tariffs were lifted a few months later, in Nov. 2025. (Although certain tariffs remained on West African cacao (where most of the world's cacao is grown.) And the overall tariff situation remains somewhat dynamic.

Throughout this period of volatility, I wondered how all the changes in recent years have affected cacao farmers. It's difficult to know from thousands of miles away here in California.

Also, every Juan Choconat bar that I ordered online in August 2025 was shown as "sold out" (today). 

"Sold out" can mean many things, so it's no use speculating. A company is struggling to meet demand for high-quality products that are in short supply; a company is taking a break from making chocolate after a busy holiday season; supply chain issues are being worked out; a company is thinking about whether to continue to make chocolate; etc. I hope these will be back in stock soon.

Choco Del Mar - Tumaco 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 14, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Choco Del Mar
Tumaco 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choco Del Mar, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Colombia Theme Week.

Today's Tumaco 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Choco Del Mar (Los Altos, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes for this Colombia bar included: chocolate-y dark chocolate; faint forest (pine); and extremely faint licorice, molasses, floral, and smoke-y fruit (umami berry (golden berry)) and nut. This bar had a gentle, chocolate-y finish.

Texture: smooth, almost creamy texture with a satisfying melt

I liked the aroma and flavor complexity, the balanced (and relatively low) bitterness, and the natural sweetness that shone through--even given it was an 85% cacao (extra dark) chocolate. 

Maker's description: "Sourced from Colombia's lush Pacific coast, this bar offers a smooth journey of deep chocolatey richness, with gentle nutty undertones and light fruit notes."

Ingredients: Cocoa Nibs, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that processes milk, nuts, and other common allergens.

Tavi Chocolates - Dark Chocolate & Golden Berry (bar) - Jan. 1, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Tavi Chocolates
Good ++ - Good +++
Golden Berry - Dark Chocolate & Golden Berry (bar)
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $11.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Colombia Theme Week.

Today's Tavi Golden Berry - Dark Chocolate & Golden Berry (bar) was manufactured by Vast Company SAS in Bogota, Colombia, and Imported into the U.S. by Tavi Chocolates (Miami, FL). 

The company combines premium Colombian chocolate with a variety of flavor inclusions. Today's bar contained golden berries (Physalis peruviana). These South American fruits resemble golden colored cherry tomatoes covered with a beautiful, husk-like, semi-transparent sheath.

Aroma notes for this bar included: sweet dark chocolate; aromatic, ripe golden berry (fruit) and a pleasant array of very faint botanical, fruit syrup/honey notes.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with crispy/crunchy freeze-dried golden berry pieces (with surprisingly few tiny white seeds).

Flavor notes included: smooth, relatively sweet, dark chocolate with authentic golden berry fruit (aka, Cape Gooseberry, Inca Berry). Warning, this bar can be very addictive.

I loved this flavorful, well executed bar. The use of freeze-dried golden berries was perfect. The fruit maintained its natural, tart-sweet, honeyed and (almost tomato) umami flavor; and the berry pieces were perfectly crisp and light in their freeze-dried state. 

The textural blend was well-executed, flavorful and completely conveyed the complexity of these berries. The dark chocolate was smooth tasting and despite being relatively sweet it was also a good match for the fruit.

Ingredients: Bittersweet Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecit(h)in, Vainilla (sic)), Freeze-Dried Cape Gooseberry.

Allergen-related information: "Produced on Equipment That Also Processes Products Containing Milk, Peanuts and Other Tree Nuts."

 

Chocolate Tree - Colombia Arhuaco 70% Dark (bar) - Jan. 12, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolate Tree
Colombia Arhuaco 70% Dark (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories  (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Colombia Theme Week.

Today's Colombia Arhuaco 70% Dark (bar) was from Chocolate Tree (Knowes Farm, Scotland). 

The maker(s) have chosen a rare, ancient cacao that "comes from the indigenous Arhuaco community of Colombia who are Guardians of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta." The Arhuaco consider this land -- that covers vast areas of biodiversity -- to be the "Heart of the World."

Aroma and flavor notes for these bars included: fudge-y dark chocolate (dark chocolate ganache; cocoa; drinking chocolate); diffuse, ripe fruit (grape, apple, berry); chocolate covered almonds; and faint honey and sesame.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy texture and melt

I enjoyed the subtle complexity of aromas and flavors in this three-ingredient bar. This chocolate had a sweet finish and was relatively high in flavor--while being relatively low in acidity and bitterness.

Maker's tasting notes: "Liquorice, Sesame"

Maker's Pairing suggestions: Port, Salted Cheese, Peated Whisky

Ingredients: "Organic cocoa beans, organic sugar, organic cocoa butter."

Allergen-related information: "Nuts and dairy are used in our factory."