Chocolate of the Day
Lonohana Estate Chocolate
Hawaiian Coffee 50% Dark Milk (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: Part of a $45.00 USD Island Flavors bundle (four different bars)
Purchased from: Lonohana website, online order
Aloha; and welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week.
Today's Hawaiian Coffee 50% Dark Milk (bar) was made by Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC (Honolulu, HI). It was cold and rainy in California; but this Hawaii island mocha blend brightened up today's January mood considerably.
Made with estate grown Hawaii cacao and Ka'u coffee--a specialty coffee grown in the Ka'u district of Hawaii's Big Island known for its smooth rich flavor, this 50% dark milk chocolate had a very pleasing aroma with freshly ground coffee, dark mocha latte, and coffee toffee notes.
The coffee in this well-tempered bar was fully ground into the chocolate, making for a smooth, uniform melt and texture, with a fleeting, very mild astringency in the finish.
Flavor notes included: tasty and smooth, flavorful dark chocolate, dark mocha coffee and whole milk.
I would have been happy with even less sugar; but the 50% dark milk and coffee blend will please a wider audience. There was just enough milk and sugar to lower (what seemed to be already low levels of) bitterness and acidity, but not enough to overwhelm the underlying cacao and coffee flavors.
Lonohana maker's description:
"This bar celebrates coffee grown in the rich volcanic soils of the Ka'u district on the Big Island of Hawai'i. We stone-grind coffee beans for several days into 50% dark milk chocolate to craft this delicious, rich, creamy and eye-opening bar."
"A gentle roast of the cacao beans ensures that our chocolate is a perfect accompaniment to the coffee from our favorite region in the islands..."
Ingredients: "Hawaii-grown cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic whole milk powder and Ka'u coffee"
Allergen-related information: Contains milk. "Soy and gluten free. Made in a peanut-free environment by Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC...")