Intrigue Chocolate Co. - Black Pepper + Clove 60% Cacao (bar) - Apr. 29, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co.
Black Pepper + Clove 60% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar

Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Uganda Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Warm Spices Week.

Today's Black Pepper + Clove 60% Cacao (bar) was from Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA).*

Collaboration with Aluel Cellars of Seattle, WA.

The cacao used to make this bar was "mostly Trinitario and Amelonado" (cacao varieties) from Uganda (Region: Rwenzururu; Semuliki Forest; Harvest year: 2022.)

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark (chocolate-y) chocolate, bright black pepper, citrus, red wine/sangria, and clove. It was a bit on the sweet side for me; but rather than dampen the spices and chocolate too much, it added an uplifting brightness. 

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a buttery melt

I liked the rich, well-balanced complexity, and the long satisfying flavor finish. This chocolate was designed by a chef; and it would make a great after dinner chocolate, dessert pairing, possible red wine pairing**, or a decadent warmer-upper to take on a hike/walk.

**Maker's tasting notes: "Aluel's full-bodied flagship "Coat of Arms" (a Bordeaux-style red wine) can stand toe-to-toe with a little heat, and plays well with the lingering fruitiness and tongue-tingle spiciness in this chocolate bar."

Ingredients:  Roasted cacao nibs, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa butter, black peppercorns, clove buds.

Allergen-related information: (No information on package.)

*Note: the company is planning to relocate to Chisholm, MN.  

Chocolate Spiel - 60% Uganda (bar) - Apr. 28, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolate Spiel
60% Uganda (bar)

Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (27 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137 calories (per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $7.00 (estimate) in 1 bar

Purchased from: Chocolate Spiel, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Uganda Theme Week.

Today's 60% Uganda (Semuliki) bar was from Chocolate Spiel (Seattle, WA).

Aroma notes for this attractively "painted"* chocolate were relatively faint and included: smooth dark chocolate and very faint, diffuse fruit.

Texture: smooth and creamy, with a buttery melt.

Flavor: appealing sweet dark chocolate (chocolate-y), sweet, light, diffuse, slightly tart fruit. Relatively low in bitterness, and the natural fruit sweetness was well-balanced--gently tart without being too acidic.

Maker's tasting notes: "dates, fig and raisin"

Ingredients: cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, colored cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of tree nuts, peanuts and gluten.

*Chocolate Spiel bars and confections are decorated with colored cocoa butter(s). Some painting designs are colorful spatter patterns, others have just a few colors and/or include lines/dribbles. All these miniature works of art have a playful feel to them. (Note: for some single origin bars, there is an "no color" option.)

Intrigue Chocolate Co. - Uganda Kisinga 78% Cacao (bar) - Apr. 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co. 
Uganda Kisinga 78% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar

Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Uganda Week.

Today's Uganda Kisinga 78% Cacao (bar) (Batch 000000022124) bar was made by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA).*

The cacao used to make this bar was "mostly Trinitario and Amelonado" (cacao varieties) from Uganda (Region: Rwenzori, Kisinga microlot). Harvest year: 2022.

Aroma and flavor notes included: a relatively faint aroma, but the dark chocolate (true chocolate-y) flavor was rich and satisfying as were the subtly complex secondary notes: mixed citrus (orange, kumquat, Meyer Lemon, candied pink grapefruit) marmalade, toasted nuts (Brazil nut, almond butter), dates; and very faint, very fleeting herbal-floral (almost jasmine).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a satisfying melt, with a very small amount of balanced dryness/astringency toward the finish.

I enjoyed the chocolate-y flavor and relatively subtle complexity in this bar and appreciated the opportunity to try this Kisinga Uganda cacao (micro-batch bar). I found myself leaning forward and going on a tasting treasure hunt through a tropical forest when I tried this chocolate.

The sweetness level (78% cacao) seemed like a good choice for dark lovers. The cacao had natural fruit sweetness (and well-balanced tartness, acidity, and characteristics of a fine Trinitario cacao). Less cacao and more sugar might retain a sense of citrus brightness, but mask some valuable/interesting flavor nuances.

Maker's tasting notes: "This origin yields chocolatey dense/rich flavors of baked dates, candied lemon and grapefruit peels, and almond butter."

Ingredients: Roasted cacao nibs, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter. 

Allergen-related information: (No information on package.)

*Note: Intrigue may be relocating to Chisholm, MN soon. But, online orders will still be possible according to the owners.

Hapa Chocolat - M.B.P. Uganda Distinct Flavors By Origin - Mango, Banana, Pineapple (bar) - Apr. 26, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hapa Chocolat 
M.B.P. Uganda - Mango, Banana Pineapple (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2.22 oz. (63 g.) in total bar
Calories: 339 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Hapa Chocolat, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate & Uganda Theme Week.

Today's M.B.P.* Uganda Distinct Flavors By Origin: Mango, Banana, Pineapple (bar) (Harvest: 2022, Batch #10) was created by Hapa Chocolat, LLC (Los Gatos, CA) using cacao from Uganda (Semuliki Forest) and three fruits that mirror naturally occurring cacao flavors.

Aroma and flavor notes include: dark chocolate and tropical fruits (pineapple, banana, mango and cacao pulp/fruit).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a slight crunchy granularity (finely ground, likely freeze-dried fruit particles) that all melted/chewed down together nicely by the finish. 

I enjoyed: 1.) the texture and flavor arc; 2.) authentic fruit flavors that mirrored/complemented naturally occurring cacao (fruit pulp) flavors; and 3.) the short list of ingredients.

Ingredients: "Chocolate (organic cacao, cacao butter, sugar), Banana, Pineapple, Mango"

Allergen-related information: "Soy Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free"

*I am assuming that M.B.P. stands for Mango, Banana and Pineapple.

Intrigue Chocolate Co. - Cardamom and Rose 60% Cacao (Uganda) (bar) - Apr. 25, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Intrigue Chocolate Co.
Cardamom and Rose 60% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar

Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $6.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate, Cardamom & Ginger Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate & Uganda Week.

Today's Cardamom and Rose (Batch 000000072524) 60% Cacao bar was made by Intrigue Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). (Note the company is moving soon to Chisholm, MN.) Intrigue offers some great spice blends, so I was happy to be able to feature them this week.

Cardamom and ginger are members of the same family (botanically speaking); yet, it's hard to find them together in chocolates in the U.S. -- except for lovely, India-inspired chai spice blends. So this theme week has included several "either" cardamom "or" ginger spiced chocolates--allowing each spice sibling to shine on its own.

The cacao used to make this bar was "mostly Trinitario and Amelonado" (cacao varieties) from Uganda (Region: Rwenzori, Kisinga microlot). 

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate with sweet, fragrant spice (cardamom), sweet floral (rose, attar), and very faint citrus (sweet orange peel) and nut (almond, hazelnut). (Note: there were no nut ingredients listed for this bar.)

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with some mild dryness (mealiness/astringency). It was not clear whether the dryness was coming from the cacao or the rose petals, or both. (I don't think it was the green cardamom seeds, but I can't be sure.)

I liked all three flavors (dark chocolate, rose and cardamom); they tasted authentic and were individually appealing. There was a sense of balanced liveliness about this bar; but the flip side was that they seemed to not completely settle down with each other completely; perhaps because of the slight astringency/dryness. 

Ingredients:  Roasted cacao nibs, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, rose petals, green cardamom seeds.

Allergen-related information: (None listed on package)

Taza Chocolate - 95% Dark Chocolate Wicked Dark Ginger (bar) - Apr. 24, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate
95% Dark Chocolate Wicked Dark Ginger (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Taza Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate, Cardamom & Ginger Theme Week.

Today's 95% Dark Chocolate Wicked Dark Ginger (bar) was made from bean to bar by Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).

Aroma notes for this "perfectly unrefined" bar included: dark chocolate (drinking chocolate), fresh baked bread and ginger.

Texture: stoneground ultra-dark chocolate and candied ginger bits. These two were fully blended into each other, but the chocolate was less refined/processed (not velvety smooth). Why stonegrind cacao other than it is a time-honored technique? More flavors tend to be preserved with stoneground/less processed chocolate. Some will love this. Others who prefer softer, more diffuse end results may not. 

Flavor notes included: ultra-dark, relatively bitter (initially quite strong) chocolate, but with pleasing (almost, but not quite fully integrated ginger); however, as long as you're not ultra-sensitive to bitter flavors, you may enjoy this bar more than you think you would. Just eat this bar slowly. The bitterness tends to recede after the first few bites and you'll find authentic cacao and ginger flavors that melt together and are worth the time.

I appreciated being able to taste this 95% organic dark chocolate bar. Sometimes I prefer a small piece of very flavorful, high-percentage (cacao) dark chocolate--as long as it's balanced, without all the sugar. Would I include this in a chocolate tasting for the general public? Probably not. This one might be too much for more delicate palettes, or for those seeking sweet solace.

Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Candied Ginger (Organic Ginger, Organic Cane Sugar), Organic Cane Sugar. 

Allergen-related information: "May Contain Traces of Tree Nuts and Sesame Seeds."

Willie's Cacao - Ginger Lime - Cuban Baracoa 70 Dark Chocolate (bar) - Apr. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Willie's Cacao 

Ginger Lime - Cuban Baracoa 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 265 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.99 in total bar
Purchased from: World Wide Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

Today's Ginger Lime - Cuban Baracoa 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from / made by Willie's Cacao Ltd (Uffculme, UK and Copenhagen, Denmark). 

This travel inspired, bean-to-bar chocolate was made using cacao from (Baracoa) Cuba. 

Aroma notes for this bar included: lime, chocolate and very faint warm, island spice (ginger).

Texture: pleasantly smooth and fudge-y with tiny slightly crunchy bits of crystallized (I'm presuming) candied ginger and maybe candied lime peel. The overall textural blend was well-balanced, and seemed just right to release the layered flavors in this chocolate. (They all melted down together in a pleasing way.)

Flavor notes included: an upbeat blend of smooth dark chocolate, tangy sweet lime, subtly spicy ginger and faint honey.

I literally felt happy after tasting this chocolate. 

Ingredients: "cocoa mass, raw cane sugar, crystallised ginger 12% (stem ginger, sugar), cocoa butter, essential lime oil 0.1%". (Cacao solids 70%) 

Allergen-related information: "Vegan"