Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Lupine Milk (bar) - Sept. 30, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Lupine Milk
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bar with Lupine Milk was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma." (There was no cacao percentage listed.)

Many lupine varieties may have originated in the Mediterranean; but lupine also has a long history in the Andes of South America. The Lupinus mutabilis (aka Andean Lupin(e) or Tarwi) in this bar has been cultivated and processed to be edible--with the end product being a flour and/or milky beverage. Domestication by pre-Incan inhabitants has been traced back 2,600 years. 

Domesticated and/or Sweet lupine milk contains, as the name implies, fewer bitter (and potentially toxic) plant alkaloids.* A cream-colored lupine "milk" is made by crushing/blending lupine plants' seeds (that look like small, flattened circular light beige beans)--that often have been soaked in salty water to reduce bitterness as part of the process.

Aroma and flavor notes for this chocolate included: pleasantly smooth dark chocolate with very subtle diffuse fruit, slightly floral and brown sugar notes -- softened by a light, plant "milk" taste similar to a very slightly floral (and less granular) rice milk.

Texture: pleasantly smooth dark chocolate with only one very tiny, dark lupine/lupine seed particle (that could have been a cacao nib).

I enjoyed the opportunity to try this unique and special bar. It had an intriguing, gently complex flavor.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, pulverized lupine, raw sugar cane, cacao butter"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.) 

*Personal note: Stick with commercially produced "sweet" lupine flour and seeds ("beans"). Please do not try to eat wild/any foraged lupine flower seeds--that may be higher in bitter and potentially toxic alkaloids. Also, lupines are legumes; and there may be a chance of a sensitivity if you have an allergy to other legumes (like peanuts). As with trying any new food if you have allergies, research product ingredients and safe sources, then try a small quantity first and wait before eating more.

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Turmeric 65% Cacao - Sept. 29, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Turmeric 65% Cacao
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

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

Today's Chocolate Bar with Turmeric 65% Cacao (bar) was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma." 

Aroma and flavor notes for this chocolate included: dark chocolate; very subtle diffuse fruit; faint, very slightly bitter spice (turmeric); a barely detectable (not unpleasant) flicker of herbs (eucalyptus, bay leaf + dusty ginger); and gentle brown sugar/caramel (panela).

Texture: pleasantly smooth dark chocolate with barely discernible herb/botanical particles (no harsh spice grit).

I liked the complex, natural and balanced flavors in this chocolate (and that it had an interesting addictive quality and harmonious complexity). The relatively sweet (65% vs. 70%+ cacao) and relatively smooth/mild chocolate helped balance the unique, relatively bold taste that turmeric can have.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, turmeric"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.) 

Masphi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Cacao Nibs 70% Cacao - Sept. 28, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Cacao Nibs 70% Cacao
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

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

Today's Chocolate Bar with Cacao Nibs 70% Cacao (bar) was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma." 

Aroma and flavor notes for this 70% cacao chocolate included: rich, dark, smooth (chocolate-y) chocolate and complex and balanced cacao nibs with sweet, clean and green botanical (faint fruit and floral); slight earth, wood and nut; and subtle brown sugar notes.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a festive field of light, crunchy cacao nibs (pieces of toasted cacao beans). Clean finish.

I liked everything about this bar. I loved this blend of pleasing and balanced dark chocolate: from the aroma to the gently roasted cacao nibs that were unusually light and almost crispy and had well-rounded, mellow, wood/nut notes. 

Relatively low in bitterness and acidity, but not in flavor, this dark chocolate was full of gentle complexity. I kept leaning in to re-taste the chocolate and nibs until, sadly, it was completely gone.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and quality ingredients; as well as the company's commitment to sourcing cacao from farmers who practice regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, cacao nibs"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.)

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Brunei Cherry 65% Cacao - Sept. 27, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Brunei Cherry 65% Cacao
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

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

Today's Chocolate Bar with Brunei Cherry 65% Cacao (bar) was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma."

This bar contained Brunei cherries (Garcinia forbesii in this bar). These grow on tropical evergreen trees in South America. They have a cherry-like flavor and frequently go through a light fermentation process.*

Aroma and flavor notes for this 65% cacao chocolate included: rich, slightly fermented fruit (cherry, light cherry wine) and dark, smooth (chocolate-y) chocolate.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a festive field of softly chewy, tiny rosy-colored bits of brunei cherries on the back side of this bar.

I enjoyed the blend of smooth, relatively sweet 65% dark chocolate and the authentic bits of tart cherry-like fruit that livened the entire bar.

I appreciated: the short list of authentic and powerful ingredients; as well as the company's focus on regenerative agriculture.

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, brunei cherry"

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.)

*Brunei cherries are related to mangosteen fruits originally from Southeast Asia--that are now cultivated in Central America; although there are members of the Garcinia genus that are native to the Americas.)

Mashpi Chocolate - Chocolate Bar with Passion Fruit and Black Pepper (bar) - Sept. 26, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate Bar with Passion Fruit & Black Pepper 65% Cacao
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Bar with Passion Fruit & Black Pepper 65% Cacao (bar) was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma."

Maracuyas (aka passion fruits) (Passiflora malformis in today's bar) are from South America. Their tart-sweet flavor puts the punch in fruit punch, and has been used to flavor desserts, chewing gum and filled/chocolate confections. 

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) originated in India and can be filled with subtle aroma and flavor notes. 

Aroma and tasting notes included: tart-sweet fruit (fairly intense, real passion fruit), dark chocolate and very faint spice (a few flickers of pepper). The passion fruit stole the show. The smooth dark 65% cacao dark chocolate added depth of flavor.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate, with crunchy dark bits (passion fruit seeds). 

I appreciated: the short list of authentic ingredients, the bold cacao, native fruit and spice blends; as well as the company's focus on regenerative agriculture (sourcing ingredients from farms that follow regenerative practices).

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, passion fruit, black pepper."

Allergen-related information: (None listed on the package that I could see.)

Mashpi Chocolate - Guayabilla Chocolate Bar 65% Cacao - Sept. 25, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Guayabilla Chocolate Bar 65% Cacao
Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

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

Today's Guayabilla Chocolate Bar 65% Cacao was made by Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador); and imported and distributed by Andean Ecocrafts, LLC (Reno, NV).

The cacao variety used to make this bar was "Cacao Nacional Fino de Aroma."

The Guayabilla fruits (Eugenia victoriana) from Colombia and Ecuador (also known as "sundrops") are tart (sometimes described as having notes of passion fruit and/or eucalyptus) that are rich in Vitamin C. They are related to the Surinam cherry (native to NE South America).

Aroma notes included: slightly peppery tart-sweet fruit and dark chocolate.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with a pleasing melt, interspersed with very small, dehydrated, tart-sweet fruit pieces--that were full of bright and complex flavors.

After taking a few bites, I was launched into a different universe -- feeling the joy of the newly discovered. The tasting notes that follow are the ecstatic rantings of a novelty seeker. 

Tasting notes included: tangy and tart-sweet, then the guayabilla + chocolate shimmered its way through peppery; very faint menthol; and then a combination of flavors that included dried persimmon; bittersweet white grape/golden raisins; candied red bell pepper and green bean; candied watermelon and mango; golden berries; goji berries; and a few notes that I couldn't quite identify. A remarkable fruit. The chocolate provided a rich, smooth flavor base for this fruit to really shine.

I loved tasting this guayabilla fruit for the first time. What an impressively complex and flavorful fruit -- that also paired so well with the smoother, darker and richer cacao.

Ingredients: Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, guayabilla.

Allergen-related information: (None listed on package that I could see.)

Conexion Chocolate - Golden Berries & Coriander Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar) - Sept. 24, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Conexion Chocolate
Golden Berries & Coriander Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: 1.9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Dispensary, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Golden Berries & Coriander Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao (bar) from Conexion Chocolate was made in Quito, Ecuador, by Aromasabor Cia. Ltda. 

The cacao used to make this bar was Arriba Nacional Cacao from Manabi, Fortaleza del Valle Co-op. (Manabi is a western coastal province in Ecuador.)

Aroma flavor notes included: fresh dark, relatively sweet, chocolate; and tart, sweet fruit (orange berry, ripe persimmon, golden raisins, golden berry); and a subtle background warm, hearty spice flavor (coriander with carrot and yellow tomato soup notes). 

Texture: smooth dark chocolate, with many small, tart-sweet and chewy bits of dehydrated golden berry.

I appreciated the hearty, well-balanced and delicious flavors in this chocolate. It represented Ecuador well. The company's name: "Conexion" says a lot too about the important role craft chocolate makers play. 

The company "strives to be the Conexion (connection) between the world of the small Ecuadorian cacao farmer and yours." Thank you to both Conexion founder/owner Jenny Samaniego (for her work with farmers and making these Ecuadorian chocolates possible), and to Chef Derek Poirier, for creating chocolates that we're enjoying around the world.

Ingredients: Cacao mass, cane sugar, cacao butter, coriander, golden berries, sunflower lecithin.

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a facility that also handled dairy and nuts."

 

Mashpi Chocolate - 1.) Coffee Bar + 2.) Salt & Cardamon 65% Cacao Chocolate Bar - Sept. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mashpi Chocolate 
Coffee and Chocolate Bar
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Mashpi Chocolate 
Chocolate with Salt & Cardamom 65% cacao (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Choiba Agroforestry Products, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's double feature: 1.) Coffee and Chocolate Bar, and 2.) Chocolate Bar with Salt and Cardamom 65% Cacao (bar). Both were from Mashpi Chocolate (Quito, Ecuador).

Mashpi uses "Ecuadorian Nacional Cacao" to make their chocolates.

Coffee Bar

Aroma flavor notes in this ebony-hued bar included: sweet, roasted coffee, very faint cocoa, with a medium to high (coffee, fruit) acidity, and very faint brown sugar.

Texture: relatively smooth texture, a relatively creamy melt and a trace amounts of astringency toward the finish. Medium to long concentrated/roasted coffee + cocoa finish.

I appreciated the maker's choices: Nacional cacao and the short list of just three ingredients. However, I was surprised to read the cacao in this bar was cacao butter, i.e., no cacao percent listed, and no cocoa solids listed in the ingredients. 

Ingredients: "Coffee, cacao butter, raw sugar cane"

Allergen-related information: No information listed.

Chocolate with Salt & Cardamom 65% Cacao (bar)

Aroma and flavor notes included: relatively sweet and smooth dark chocolate, infused with authentic and complex cardamom spice (including tiny upticks of fruit punch and chewing gum); light herbal (green pepper); and faint molasses/brown sugar. A light dose of salt balanced out the sweetness very nicely.

The rich sweet herbal, warm cardamom spice and brown sugar, and fleeting tropical fruit/spice notes warmed up this chocolate.

This 65% dark chocolate was flavorful; bright (upbeat); and had balanced bitterness and acidity as well as a pleasing finish. Thank you to the maker(s) for selecting the short list of quality ingredients.

Tasting notes: Eating both the coffee and cardamom bars--together--was a wonderful experience. I alternated one square from the coffee bar with a square with the cardamom and salt bar, and I was very happy.

Ingredients: Cacao mass, raw sugar cane, cacao butter, sea salt, cardamom.

Allergen-related information: None listed that I could see on packaging.

 

 

Antidote - Lemon confit + Licorice 84 dark (bar) - Sept. 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Antidote
Lemon confit + Licorice 84 dark (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Antidote Lemon confit + Licorice 84 dark (bar) was made in Ecuador. 

The company is the creation of Red Thalhammer in the U.S. who is "NY/Miami based with Austrian roots." A former Art Director, who was introduced to European chocolate as a child, she has been creating interesting flavor inclusion chocolate bars (many with different fruits, spices and botanicals) since 2009.

The cacao used to make this bar was listed as "Nacional Complex." Nacional is a relatively rare cacao native to Ecuador (and is also found in Peru), often described as having a fine aroma and complex flavor profile.

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included: dark chocolate with citrus (lemon marmalade) and very faint sweet herbal/spice.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate interspersed with chewy bits of candied/sweet lemon peel. 

I enjoyed the blend of dark, smooth and balanced chocolate and sweet, tart lemon peel. This chocolate tasted more like a 72% cacao than an 84% cacao bar -- making it a little less intense for those who prefer milder chocolates while not compromising for dark chocolate fans. The licorice was very subtle--adding an authentic, light, naturally sweet herbal flavor that harmonized well with the chocolate and the lemon.

Ingredients: (84% cacao Nacional Complex) cacao beans, whole cane sugar, cacao butter, lemon peel, licorice root, sunflower lecithin. 

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles milk, soy & nuts. Vegan, Gluten Free, Kosher"

Kessho - Black Sesame White Chocolate (bar) + Purple White Tea & TCHO - Dark & Salty 81% Cacao (bar) - Sept. 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kessho Craft Chocolate
Black Sesame White Chocolate - Lightly Roasted Sesame (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .945 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.9 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 169 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: Part of a set ($60 for 4 bars + tea coins)
Purchased from: Kessho, online order 

TCHO
Dark & Salty 81% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight:  1.625 (46 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total pkg. of 3 bars
Calories: 240 calories in 2/3 package
Cost: $5.39 for 1 bar (member discount)
Purchased from: Sports Basement, San Francisco, CA

West China Tea Company
Black Rain Shu P'uer Tea (tea coin)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .25 oz. (7 g.) in 1 tea coin
Calories: 5 calories (estimate) in 1/2 tea coin (1 mug of tea)
Cost: $60.00 for a larger order (set) of 4 bars + 8 tea coins (may no longer be available)
Purchased from: Kessho, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Tea Week.*

Today's two bars were paired with tea from West China Tea Company (Austin, TX).

The sweetness of today's Black Sesame White Chocolate from Kessho Chocolate was complemented very nicely by an inky dark brown (black) p'uer tea--in the form of an individually-wrapped tea "coin" (that was part of a larger gift set of 4 different Kessho chocolate bars + 4 different West China Tea coins/teas. This set was distributed by Kessho, LLC (Austin, TX).

This collaboration was joined by a Dark & Salty 81% Cacao bar from TCHO (Berkeley, CA).

Kessho - Black Sesame White Chocolate (bar) + tea

The black sesame seeds (sourced from India) were ground together with cocoa butter and salt.

Aroma and flavor notes included: black sesame seeds in a creamy base with faint, buttery umami and salt.

Texture: buttery, and relatively smooth.

The suggested pairing with Black Rain Shu P'ureh tea was great. The rich, inky brown tea was excellent, and surprisingly versatile. It provided rich satisfying flavor; and its slightly tannic, balanced bitterness complemented both the sweet white chocolate sesame seed bar and the TCHO Dark & Salty bar.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Black Sesame, nuts, cream and sea salt"

Ingredients: "Cocoa butter, sugar, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, black sesame seed, salt"

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk and sesame seeds...Made in a facility that processes tree nuts, wheat and eggs" 

TCHO - Dark & Salty 81% (bar)

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark, fudge-y chocolate with a very light dose of vanilla and sea salt.

Texture: very smooth; dense and hearty flavor and texture.

I enjoyed this hearty, chocolate-y, dark chocolate with balanced, extra dark flavors. It was an 81% cacao bar that had the rich smoothness of a 72% cacao bar.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans**, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter**, Pink Himalayan Salt, Vanilla Beans* (* Organic; ** Fair Trade Certified)

Allergen-related information: "May contain tree nuts."

Fossa Chocolate - Mu Zha Tie Guan Yin Tea 62% dark (bar) - Sept. 20, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fossa Chocolate
Mu Zha Tie Guan Yin Tea 62% dark (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 138.5 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $13.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

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

Today's Mu Zha Tie Guan Yin Tea 62% dark (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate Pte Ltd. (Singapore).

The cacao used to craft this Tea Chocolate collaboration bar was from Costa Esmeraldas (Emerald Coast), a family-owned cacao farm (estate) in northern, coastal Ecuador. The tea was from Pekoe & Imp (Singapore). (Note: I enjoyed a previous version of this bar made with Piura, Peru cacao in Dec. 2024.)

Oolong teas are meticulously processed and they fall between green and black teas. (All these teas are from the same Camellia sinensis plant species, but they're processed differently). Oolong teas are more oxidized than green teas but not fully oxidized like black teas. They have a clean, floral flavor--especially Ti Guan Yin oolong teas from southern China.

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: chocolate, faint toffee/gentle molasses, and clean (clean mineral), crisp (clear, almost sweet green) and floral oolong tea.

Texture: smooth and creamy with faint (tea, persimmon-like) astringency

Flavor notes included: smooth, friendly fudge-y, nuanced dark chocolate with subtle toffee/caramel; very diffuse fruit; faint floral and nut; and high-quality, floral oolong tea that lingered into a long and satisfying finish.

I loved this chocolate and tea blend -- so full of layered, balanced, gently complexity. Skillfully captured and nurtured single origin flavors that spanned two continents. The best of both worlds in one bar--enjoyed very much today, on a third continent. 

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Aroma of sweet toasty caramel and floral notes with a warming finish."

Ingredients: "Cacao, cane sugar, cacao butter, tea leaves"

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a facility that processes nuts & dairy" 

Fu-Wan Chocolate - Taiwan Red Oolong Tea 62% dark (bar) - Sept. 19, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Fu-Wan Chocolate
Taiwan Red Oolong Tea 62% dark (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .62 oz. (17.5 g.) / 1.236 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 104 calories in 1/2 bar (207.9 cals. for 1 whole bar)
Cost: $18.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Tea Theme Week.

Today's Taiwan Red Oolong Tea 62% dark (bar) was from Fu-Wan Chocolate (Ping-Tung County, Taiwan).

Red tea is generally a black tea known for its "juicy, fruity and honey notes," whereas red oolong tea offers a blend of these sweet and fruity notes + classical oolong tea flavors...Exactly what I tasted in today's Taiwan Red Oolong Tea chocolate.

Aroma and flavor notes for this tree-to-bar chocolate included: dark chocolate with brown sugar toffee, fruit (candied pineapple, date, persimmon), diffuse warm spices (cinnamon, ginger); and oolong tea (with slightly floral, clean mineral notes).

Texture: smooth and creamy with a slight (fruit, tea) astringency (slightly granular dryness).

I enjoyed the unexpectedly flavorful fruit, floral and toffee notes. All these aromas and flavors were coaxed from just four ingredients. 

Maker's Tasting Notes: Rose, Cardamom, Pistachio, Toffee

Ingredients: Ping Tung Cacao Liquor, Sugar, Cacao Butter, Taiwan Red Oolong Tea Powder

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of nuts and milk."

The Organic House - Chai Latte 55% Cacao Belize Maya Mountain (bar) - Sept. 18, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Chai Latte - Mylk chocolate infused with chai tea 55% Cacao (Belize) (bar)
Good ++
Calories: 142 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Organic House, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Tea Week. This is the third tea-themed chocolate week this year, and I'm finding a lot of blends and pairings I like in 2025.

Today's Chai Latte - Mylk chocolate infused with chai tea 55% Cacao Belize - Maya Mountain (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada).

The cacao used to make this chocolate was from Maya Mountain (I'm assuming this means Maya Mountain Cacao*), in southern Belize.

Aroma and flavor notes for this bar included: chocolate, brown/less refined sugar, and an aromatic blend of warm, chai spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, very faint anise, other). The single origin cacao added very faint, diffuse and smooth fruit and authentic cacao complexity.

Texture: uniformly smooth and relatively creamy throughout. (The tea and spice bits were fully incorporated; no detectable particle grit--made this chocolate more latte-like.)

Every chai tea tastes a little different depending on the tea and spice blend(s). Here the rooibos tea added a very light herbal tea flavor. And the warm spices tasted authentic, albeit a bit more like pumpkin spice than chai spice. (The cardamom and pepper were further down on the ingredient list.)

This was a rich and sweet, friendly and authentic bar that will please those who enjoy a warm, flavorful spiced chocolate with less caffeine. The use of coconut flower nectar made the sweetness richer and less buzzy than more refined white cane sugar.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Buttery notes of chocolate, chai tea, honey, raisins, and pineapple."

Ingredients: Organic coconut flower nectar, Organic cacao beans, Organic cacao butter, Organic cashews, Organic* rooibos chai tea (rooibos leaves*, cinnamon bark*, ginger root*, star anise fruit*, cloves*, cardamom seeds*, black pepper*, natural flavor*).

Allergen-related information: Contains Cashews. May contain: Almonds, Hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios."

*Maya Mountain Cacao is a facility that works with many local farmers in the lush forests of the Toledo district of southern Belize (not far from Punta Gorda). Their centralized post-harvest cacao fermenting and processing operation sells to many small-batch, specialty/craft chocolate makers.

Taza - 70% Dark Chocolate Lemon Cookie Crunch (bar) - Sept. 17, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate
70% Dark Chocolate Lemon Cookie Crunch (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Taza, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Tea Theme Week.

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate Lemon Cookie Crunch (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA). 

Taza founders have been making stone ground ("perfectly unrefined") chocolate bars, discs and confections since 2005--and were early adopters of organic cacao and direct trade efforts/practices.

There was no tea in this bar, but this lemon cookie 70% chocolate paired well with a creamy matcha tea latte and with an aromatic black tea with citrus notes.

Aroma notes included: lemon, lemon cookie, dark chocolate and vanilla.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate and crunchy (lemon cookie bits)

Flavor notes included: sweet lemony flavor and lemon cookies that lightened up the earthy dark chocolate. 

The bright, light floral qualities of the creamy smoothness of the matcha green tea latte (pairing item) complemented the sweet lemon cookie and helped reduce the spikier/bolder earth notes in the 70% dark chocolate. (The cacao used to make this chocolate was from The Dominican Republic.) A high-quality black tea with a squeeze of lemon also worked nicely.

Always a pleasure to explore different chocolate + tea pairings and to try to get everything to harmonize. I was hoping to try a pairing without adding dairy, but the matcha latte (with milk) seemed to be the best pairing match.

I appreciated the use of organic, fair trade and less processed ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Lemon Cookies* (Gluten Free Whole Oat Flour*, Cane Sugar*, High Oleic Safflower Oil*, Pear Juice from Concentrate*, Tapioca Starch*, Lemon Juice from Concentrate*, Lemon Extract*, Salt, Pure Vanilla Extract*, Cream of Tartar, Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate), Sunflower Lecithin*, Xanthan Gum, Rosemary Extract*), Cocoa Butter*, Lemon Flavor Oil* (Sunflower Oil* and Natural Flavors), Sunflower Lecithin*. (* Organic)

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

Kessho - Boba Tea 44% Cacao Ecuador (bar) - Sept. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kessho Craft Chocolate
Boba Tea Milk Chocolate 44% Cacao Cayapas Rivers Ecuador (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 369 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Dispensary, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate & Tea Week.*

Today's Boba Tea Milk Chocolate 44% Cacao Cayapas Rivers Ecuador (bar) was made and distributed by Kessho, LLC (Austin, TX).

The Nacional variety cacao used to make this chocolate was from northern Ecuador. The Cayapas (River) runs from the Andes mountains to the Pacific Ocean. (Of the 100s of rivers and streams that begin in the Andes, some flow to the Pacific Ocean, and others run eastward toward the Amazon River system.) This vast water network sustains large forest ecosystems--as well as farmers growing cacao--in South America.

Aroma and flavor notes included: pleasing, aromatic high-end tea and Boba/Thai iced tea with fleeting clean mineral/tea, almost floral, brown sugar, smooth and tasty milk chocolate, cream and sugar. The tea kept re-surfacing above cloud-like layers of sweet creamy milk chocolate and lingered into a long finish.

Texture: ridiculously creamy and smooth with a rich creamy melt. (Cocoa butter is the first ingredient listed.)

I really enjoyed the short list of high-quality ingredients, the aromatic and tasty (Fujian Province, China) tea blend and the fact that this tea was able to shine through the smooth milk chocolate. This was a lovely, creamy, single origin cacao rendition of boba tea. (Also somewhat addicting.)

Maker's Tasting Notes: Ecuador Cacao Flavor Profile: "Floral, woody aroma"...Overall bar: "Boba, caramel and chocolate fudge"

Ingredients: "Cocoa butter, brown sugar, whole cacao beans, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, black tea powder, sugar, dark brown sugar"

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk...Made in a facility that processes tree nuts, wheat, sesame and eggs"

Maeve Chocolate - Pumpkin Spiece Chai Milk Chocolate Truffle Bar - Sept. 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Maeve Chocolate
(Seattle Chocolate Co.)
Pumpkin Spice Chai Milk Chocolate Truffle Bar
Good ++ 
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 380 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $6.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Farm Fresh to You, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Tea Theme Week.

Today's Maeve Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Chai Milk Chocolate Truffle Bar was produced by Seattle Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA).*

Aroma and flavor notes for this sweet confection of a bar included: very sweet milk chocolate infused with authentic-tasting pumpkin spices (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice) and vanilla. (The black tea was very subtle.)

Texture: soft, seductively thick and creamy (truffle-like) texture. (This bar will not break with a snap. It had a very creamy milk chocolate fudge texture that I could slice with a butter knife.)

I think most milk chocolates are too sweet. (I do prefer dark chocolates.) But then, as if to show the addictive power of sugar, I find myself devouring a whole milk chocolate bar (especially the ones with salt and/or ones with chai/pumpkin spices and aromatic tea blends). Reminder to self: don't eat bars like this if you're hungry.

I appreciated the use of real spices and black tea in this truffle bar, additives and emulsifiers were kept to a minimum (soy lecithin), and that this bar was gluten-free.

Ingredients: milk chocolate (cane sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa butter*, cocoa mass*, organic soy lecithin, natural vanilla), coconut oil, sea salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, organic black tea, allspice.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk and Soy. This product is manufactured in a plant that processes milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, and wheat products.

*Maeve Chocolate is a trademark of Seattle Chocolate Co.

Xocolatl Chocolate - Barrel-Aged Dark with ASW Distillery Duality Double Malt Whiskey 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 14, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Xocolatl Chocolate
Barrel-Aged Dark with ASW Distillery's Duality Double Malt Whiskey (R) 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.6 oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl, online order

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

Today's Barrel-Aged Dark with ASW Distillery's Duality Double Malt Whiskey (R) 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Xocolatl LLC (Atlanta, GA). 

Founders Elaine Read and Matt Weyandt started their chocolate making journey with Costa Rican cacao over a decade ago, and are committed to sourcing sustainably grown cacao from farmers in the Americas--where cacao originated. Their company name (Xocolatl, the "Aztec word for chocolate") is a tribute to the civilizations and people who have cultivated cacao for many centuries. 

Today's bar is a collaboration with ASW Distillery (Atlanta, GA). Presumably cacao nibs were barrel-aged in whiskey casks that imparted the very subtle, smooth and naturally sweet spirits aroma and flavor that mingled with the cacao flavors.

Aroma and flavor notes for today's chocolate (bar) included: rich dark chocolate with medium, balanced acidity; faint diffuse fruit (very faint sweet pomegranate and fig syrup); sweet green botanical (with a touch of spirits, brown sugar, smooth wood/oak, red wine); and very faint (barely detectable), fleeting herb (dill pickle chips, salt)--that dissipated soon after opening the wrapper.

Texture: smooth was a very faint (fruit) astringency.

I appreciated the short list of high-quality and organic ingredients and the subtle, balanced flavors that gently lingered into the finish. You may want to savor this bar slowly; and lean in a little to get some of the nuances.

Ingredients: Cacao*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*, ASW Distillery's Duality Double Malt Whiskey(R) (* = organic)

Allergen-related information: "Made on equipment that processes peanuts, soy, wheat & tree nuts (almond, coconut, hazelnut, pecan)."

Seattle Chocolate Co. - Maeve - Maple Bourbon with Maple Sugar and Crunchy Toffee (bar) - Sept. 13, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Seattle Chocolate Co.

Maeve Chocolate - Maple Bourbon Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar with Maple Sugar and Crunchy Toffee
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Farm Fresh to You, online order

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

Today's Maeve Chocolate - Maple Bourbon Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar with Maple Sugar and Crunchy Toffee (bar) was a trademark of Seattle Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA).

Aroma and flavor notes included: sweet dark chocolate (roasted cacao), brown/maple sugar, vanilla and very faint spirits.

Texture: soft, creamy texture with just the right amount (a light smattering) of crunchy toffee bits.

While this dark chocolate truffle bar was relatively sweet, I enjoyed the rich complexity of the sweet flavor inclusions and ingredients. Roast-y cacao, toasted brown sugar toast, sweet brown sugar, caramel, maple, vanilla and faint woodsy/oak, bourbon-like notes. A touch of salt helped balance the sweetness and  the whole bar was somewhat addicting.

Ingredients: dark chocolate (cocoa mass, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, organic soy lecithin, natural vanilla), toffee (beet sugar, glucose syrup, cream, butter, skim milk powder, salt), coconut oil, maple sugar, organic natural flavor, organic natural flavor, sea salt.

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk and Soy. "This product is manufactured in a plant that processes milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, and wheat products." "sorry, this bar does not contain alcohol"; Kosher Dairy.

*Maeve Chocolate is a trademark of Seattle Chocolate Co.

Millcreek Cacao Roasters - Whiskey Infused Farm To Bar Dark Chocolate 78% Chuno Matagalpa, Nicaragua (bar) - Sept. 12, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Millcreek Cacao Roasters
Whiskey Infused Farm to Bar Dark Chocolate 78% Chuno Matagalpa, Nicaragua (bar)

Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 138 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

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

Today's Whiskey Infused Farm to Bar Dark Chocolate 78% Chuno Matagalpa, Nicaragua (bar) was from Millcreek Cacao Roasters (Salt Lake City, UT).

This single origin cacao (Nicaragua) bar comes with a special pairing recommendation for: Whiskey -- from High West Distillery (Park City, UT). The two Utah companies formed a bond over their mutual devotion to high-quality, delicious fermented offerings.

Aroma notes for today's 78% dark chocolate included: appealing rich, smooth dark chocolate, and faint, smokey-smooth oak, whiskey cask wood (almost smoked caramel/brown sugar).

Texture: initially very smooth, followed by some astringency (dryness)/rustic granularity in the middle and end of the taste. (This astringency was not spikey or objectionable to me, but may be noticeable to others.)

The chocolate had smooth, rich and balanced flavors and was relatively low in acidity and bitterness -- for a 78% dark chocolate.

This bar was infused with a subtle whiskey flavor by "aging the chocolate with charred barrel staves..."

I could imagine pairing this dark chocolate with the High West Distillery's Double Rye whiskey would yield an extra dimension of pleasing richness and roundness to this chocolate. (A possible pairing for future chocolate tastings.) However, just this bar all by itself would be a great tasting option for a dessert plate or fine meal.

Ingredients: "Cacao, Pure Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter"

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of tree nuts and milk."

Nuance Chocolate - Special Series Cherry Whiskey 70% Dark (bar) - Sept. 11, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Nuance Chocolate

Spirit Series - Cherry Whiskey 70% Dark (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 1.9 oz. (55 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $17.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Nuance Chocolate, order by phone/online 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Spirits Theme Week. And Happy 19th Year of Chocolate Banquet.*

Today's Spirit Series - Cherry Whiskey 70% Dark (bar) (Batch #40413) was from Nuance Chocolate (Fort Collins, CO). Nuance is a small-batch, bean-to-bar maker producing high-end bars and confections.

This bar was a Colorado collaboration between Nuance Chocolate's blend of premium cacao beans and a lovely whiskey from Leopold Bros., an independently-owned distillery in Denver, CO.

Aroma notes for this chocolate (from Nuance Chocolate's "Spirit Series" of bars) included: rich, smooth chocolate-y chocolate with subtle, rounded red fruit notes (cherry) and faint spirits (whiskey, brown sugar, oak, vanilla).

Texture: Pleasing, hearty, creamy melt and mouthfeel. Just the right thickness, that enabled easy access to aroma and flavors as well as a great melt.

Flavor notes included: deeper, richer, smooth dark chocolate and more of the layered spirits (whiskey) notes mentioned above. Lingering, balanced, cherry, chocolate-y (dark chocolate chips, chocolate torte, and the ghost-of-a-good-whiskey in the pleasant finish. 

I loved the rich, nuanced flavors in this bar, all coaxed from just four ingredients. This subtly spirited 70% dark chocolate was great all by itself...

...But, if you want to fancy things up, this Cherry Whiskey bar could be a part of a dessert plate, a chocolate and spirits flight, or incorporated into almost any chocolate dessert. There was enough natural sweetness to evoke a high-end chocolate cocktail or a slightly-spiked hot chocolate. Warm and inviting; nothing too harsh or spiky. Relatively low in acidity and bitterness. Versatile and classy, with warm overtones.

Maker's description: "A transcendent pairing of barrel-aged Leopold Brothers Cherry Whiskey and a special blend of fully-fermented cacao from around the world. First on the palate is chocolate, followed by cherry, whiskey and charred-oak barrel. No trickery--just cacao, cane sugar and real American whiskey."

Ingredients: "cacao, cane sugar, cocoa butter, cherry whiskey."

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, wheat, and soy."

*Chocolate Banquet is the blog-site that celebrates cacao and chocolate makers--and has featured Corinne DeBra's tasting a different chocolate every day for (as of today) 19 years.

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Soconusco, Chiapas with Mezcal Joven (bar) - Sept. 10, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra 
73% Mexican Cacao from Soconusco, Chiapas with Mezcal Joven (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in /12 bar (per label)
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Soconusco, Chiapas with Mezcal Joven (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico).

Today's cacao + mezcal bar was a celebration of two, time-honored traditions in Mexico. The cacao used to make this bar was from Soconusco, Chiapas, in southern Mexico. And the Mezcal was made with 100% Maguey Espadin from Santiago Matatlan, a town located in the Central valleys of Oaxaca, considered to be the 'world capital of Mezcal.'"

Aroma notes included: rich, relatively sweet chocolate with soft, sweet green (and very, very slightly smoke-y) botanical (lightly sweetened cactus and green fig jam with a tiny squeeze of lemon).

Texture: Relatively smooth and creamy with a very slight stone-ground quality (that I associated with all the flavors being intact).

Flavor notes: Rich cacao flavors including dark chocolate with lush botanical, and balanced tart-sweet elements (balanced, sweet, gentle red fruit, apple and nopales (cactus) marinated with brown sugar). I'm assuming what I was tasting (embedded in the dark chocolate) were balanced, fermented and very lightly pit-smoked agave flavors, that when mixed with the single origin Chiapas cacao yielded a complex and wonderful bar. 

I liked the flavorful, yet subtle aroma and flavors; the short list of only three, quality ingredients; and the opportunity to try two great Mexican traditional foods/beverages in one bar. Once again, I feel fortunate to have experienced Cuna de Piedra's dedication to Mexican Cacao.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Alcohol removed Mezcal Joven from 100% Maguey Espadin (Agave angustifolia Haw).

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs." Non-Alcoholic Product. 

Cuna de Piedra - 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Mezcal Reposado (bar) - Sept. 9, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra 
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Mezcal Reposado (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in /12 bar (per label)
Cost: $12.99 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Caputo's Market, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Mezcal Reposado (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico).

Today's cacao + mezcal bar was a celebration of two, time-honored traditions in Mexico. The cacao used to make this bar was from Comalcalco, Tabasco, in southeastern Mexico. And the Mezcal was made with 100% Maguey Espadin from Santiago Matatlan, a town located in the Central valleys of Oaxaca, considered to be the 'world capital of Mezcal.'"

Aroma notes included: rich, sweet chocolate, clean mineral and sweet green botanical (green figs in syrup), and very faint spirits and brown sugar and spice.

Texture: Relatively smooth and creamy with a slight, tart botanical and fruit astringency.

Flavor notes: Rich cacao flavors including dark chocolate with lively, tart-sweet elements (balanced, almost pickled, sweet fruits and nopales with vinegar and brown sugar). This tartness helped replace the fact that the alcohol had been removed from the mezcal, allowing us to taste (what I'm assuming was) some balanced, fermented agave flavors, that when mixed with the single origin Tabasco cacao yielded a hearty, flavorful bar. 

I liked the complex, flavors and the short list of only three, quality ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Alcohol removed Mezcal Reposado from 100% Maguey Espadin (Agave angustifolia Haw).

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs." Non-Alcoholic Product.

Marianne's Ice Cream - Irish Coffee & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream - Sept. 8, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Marianne's Ice Cream 

Irish Coffee & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Good ++
Weight: 1/2 cup / 1 Quart (946 mL) in total container
Calories: 155 calories (estimate) in 1/2 cup serving (+ nibs topping)
Cost: $ Missing information

Purchased from: Piazza's, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate & Coffee Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's Irish Coffee & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream was from Marianne's Ice Cream (Santa Cruz, CA). I paired/topped this ice cream with (home-made) whiskey-soaked cacao nibs.

Aroma and flavor notes included: rich coffee, chocolate/cacao and subtle vanilla and whiskey flavoring. (The spirits were mostly from the whiskey soaked cacao bean nibs topping.)

These weren't your ordinary chocolate chips. The chocolate included fairly large, thin rectangular dark chocolate pieces--made with coconut oil and butter oil to stay relatively soft when frozen. My kind of ice cream.

Texture: creamy ice cream with thin, rectangular pieces of dark chocolate that were formulated to be just the right texture for ice cream-- not so hard that the splinters would hurt you,  

I liked the subtle, creamy coffee and that I could taste the dark chocolate--as if I was eating chocolate at room temperature. (Often chocolate chips in ice cream are cold and brittle, and too cold to taste.) These pieces were slightly chewy for a few seconds followed by a creamy chocolate melt and rich chocolate flavor release.

Very tasty overall with a satisfyingly creamy coffee ice cream base. Cool and refreshing on a warm day. And the whiskey-marinated cacao nibs added some authentic cacao and spirits oomph.

Ingredients: "milk, cream, sugar, whey, locust bean gum, guar gum, instant coffee, bourbon, chocolate chips (corn starch, coconut oil, cocoa processed with alkali, butter oil, soy lecithin, natural flavor)"

Allergen-related information: Contains: Milk, Soy. " in a Facility that handles peanuts, treenuts, wheat, soy and eggs"

Hammond's - Espesso Martini Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 7, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Hammond's Candies 
Espresso Martini Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.125 oz. (32 g.) / 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $3.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Ace Hardware, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's Espresso Martini - Espresso Flavored Dark Chocolate Infused with Coffee Caramel (bar) was from Hammond's Candies (Denver, CO).

Aroma notes for this filled bar included: very sweet chocolate, and caramel, vanilla and coffee latte flavorings.

Texture: Smooth dark chocolate filled with a coffee-flavored, flowing caramel (with crunchy ground coffee bits and possibly vanilla bean specks) filling.

Flavors: smooth, uniformly flavored dark chocolate--that encased and blended with a dark-caramel hued, thick syrup-like caramel-coffee and vanilla filling. There were more sweeteners (sugars, corn syrup) and added flavorings (see ingredients list) than expected in this bar.

I enjoyed the idea behind and blend of flavors in this bar, even if it was too sweet for me. (This was like a high-end candy bar.) 

Note: there was no alcohol in this chocolate + espresso martini inspired chocolate.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, natural vanilla flavor, filling (corn syrup, cream [heavy cream, milk, contains less than 0.5% of: mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 80, carageenan], sugar, butter [cream, natural flavor], mocha espresso coffee paste [coffee, canola oil, sugar, soy lecithin], ground roasted coffee beans, vanilla paste [sugar, water, vanilla extract, vanilla bean specks, gum tragacanth], sea salt, cappuccino tiramisu extract [natural flavor, sugar, caramel color], natural flavor).

Allergen-related information: Contains Soy and Milk. May Contain Wheat, Peanuts, and Tree Nuts.

Millcreek Cacao Roasters - Espresso 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 6, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Millcreek Cacao Roasters 
Espresso - 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Espresso - 70% Dark Chocolate Arriba Nacional Hacienda Limon Farm, Ecuador (bar) was from Millcreek Cacao Roasters (Salt Lake City, UT).

The family-owned company began their journey as "Farm to Bar Chocolate Makers" in 2011. They've focused on direct sourced heirloom cacao(s) from equatorial regions (Ecuador, Nicaragua) and "meticulous processing" of beans in their factory in Salt Lake City to create fine flavored chocolates.

The certified heirloom cacao used in today's Espresso bar was Arriba Nacional cacao from Hacienda Limon Farm in the Guayas Province of Ecuador--a region that contains views of the Pacific Ocean as well as lush forests in the interior.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate base, with a very faint (barely detectable) astringency and very tiny,  crunchy bits of espresso (finely ground coffee beans). The coffee was pleasant, not too harsh.

Aroma and flavor notes were balanced, with subtle complexity, and included: smooth, chocolate-y, dark chocolate; a very faint (agreeable) green botanical mix that included: a barely detectable, fleeting salted potato chip note at the very beginning (when bar was first unwrapped) that then shaded into delicate, authentic lush green forest; and last, but not least, smooth coffee notes. 

There were also very faint/diffuse red fruit (cherry, berry) and very faint roasted (almost nutty) notes--that could have come from the coffee or the cacao. It wasn't clear. I enjoyed them all the same.

This was a very pleasing bar. It was relatively low in acidity and had an agreeable, hearty quality to it. I loved the shy-er, almost-hidden aroma and flavor notes from start-to-finish; it was like following a rabbit through a forest.

Ingredients: "Cacao, Pure Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Roasted Coffee Beans"

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of tree nuts and milk"

Standout Craft Chocolate - Swedish Favourites - Gesha Coffee Organic 70% Dark (bar) - Sept. 5, 2025

Chocolate of the Day 

Standout Craft Chocolate
Swedish Favourites - Gesha Coffee Organic 70% Dark (bar)
Good ++ - Good+++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155.75 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate & Coffee Week.

Today's "Swedish Favourites - Gesha Coffee Organic 70% Dark Chocolate from Sweden" (bar) was from Standout Craft Chocolate (Goteborg, Sweden).

The cacao used to make this bar was from Oko Caribe, in the Dominican Republic. And the coffee was a "washed" Gesha* from Hugo Marino in the Cusco region in Peru. 

Aroma notes included: subtle chocolate and coffee notes; and very faint caramel and diffuse fruit.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy texture and melt.

Flavor notes included: balanced, smooth dark chocolate and faint, diffuse and pleasing coffee. This bar had a lingering, friendly finish.

The aroma notes were relatively subtle (less aromatic than many coffee dark chocolate bars, but the overall taste was wonderful. Hats off to the maker for pairing this DR cacao with this Peruvian Gesha coffee.

I enjoyed this balanced, harmonious blend of single origin flavors; the opportunity to enjoy washed Gesha (aka Geisha) coffee, a rare high-altitude varietal known for its more delicate flavors; and the short list of four, high-quality organic ingredients.

The aroma notes were relatively subtle (less aromatic than many coffee dark chocolate bars, but the overall taste was wonderful. Hats off to the maker for pairing this DR cacao with this Peruvian Gesha coffee.

Maker's Taste Notes: "Light Roasted Coffee, Floral, Fruity"

Ingredients: Cacao beans*, Sugar*, Cacao butter*, Coffee beans* (*Organic)

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of Milk."

*Gesha coffee is a rare, high-altitude varietal that is known for it's smooth, gently complex flavors. (For chocolate lovers, think of this coffee bean as being like a prized Criollo cacao varietal.) 

"Washed" Gesha coffee likely refers to a process where the coffee berry fruit/pulp is washed (removed) from the coffee beans relatively soon after harvesting.

 

Goodio - Coffee 56% Cacao (bar) - Sept. 4, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Goodio
Coffee 56% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: .848 oz. (24 g.) / 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Coffee 56% Cacao (bar) from Goodio Craft Chocolate was manufactured by Helsinki Heaven Oy (Vantaa, Finland).

According to the Goodio website, the cacao used to make this bar was from Peru.

Aroma notes for this Finnish coffee + chocolate bar included: chocolate, nut and very faint herbal (mint family), coffee and coconut.

Texture: slightly grainy (stoneground) chocolate that broke with a relatively soft snap, but had a pleasant melt.

Flavor notes included: subtle, sweet (Criollo) chocolate; faint coffee; very faint herbal; and subtle caramelized coconut/brown sugar covered, ground nuts.

I appreciated the relatively short list of thoughtfully sourced organic ingredients and the interesting blend of flavors in this sweet chocolate.

Maker's notes: "Starring sweet, smooth and powerful organic coffee with cashew nuts for creamy taste."

Ingredients: Cacao beans*, Coconut palm sugar*, Cacao butter*, Cashew nuts*, Coconut flakes*, Coffee bean*. (*Organic).

Allergen-related Information: "Contains nuts (cashew). Dairy, gluten & soy free"

Tiny House - 55% Cacao Latte & Nibs Milk Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 3, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Tiny House 
55% Cacao Latte & Nibs Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .99 oz. (28 g.) / 1.97 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $N/A - gift from a friend (Thank you Elise!)
Purchased from: Mint Muse (store), Santa Cruz, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week. 

Today's 55% Cacao Latte & Nibs Milk Chocolate (bar) was from Tiny House Chocolate (Tiny House of Chocolate Artisans, in Santa Cruz, CA).

Aroma notes included: chocolate (relatively mild milk chocolate); caramelized chocolate cookie; and coffee toffee.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy coconut milk chocolate base with tiny crunchy cacao nibs (pleasing subtle, authentic, Criollo-like cacao with very faint (almost undetectable and not unpleasant) olive.

Flavor notes included: creamy, subtle and sweet coconut caramel; and light milk chocolate with tiny upticks of gentle true cacao nib flavor.

I appreciated the soft, sweet and subtle flavors in this bar, and the high-quality cacao nib flavors; the short list of quality and organic ingredients; and the care taken by the makers to source these ingredients to craft a gluten free and dairy free bar for almost everyone to enjoy.

Maker's Flavor Notes: "Coconut Caffe Latte"

Ingredients: Cacao*, Cane Sugar*, Coconut Milk*, Arabica Coffee* (*Organic ingredient)

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Coconut. Made in a Facility That Processes Milk and Nuts.

Cuna de Piedra 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Coffee (bar) - Sept. 2, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Cuna de Piedra 
73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Coffee (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

Today's 73% Mexican Cacao from Comalcalco with Coffee (bar) was from Cuna de Piedra (Monterrey, N.L., Mexico).

The cacao beans used to make this bar were from: Comalcalco in the State of Tabasco, in southeastern Mexico; and the coffee was a Dalia blend from Buna. (Buna is a Mexican coffee company that works with small, family-run coffee producers/operations).

Aroma notes included: smooth, pleasing, aromatic, roasted coffee and rich, smooth dark chocolate with very faint red fruit/berry soaked in honey and brown sugar.

Texture: satisfying creamy smooth chocolate with slightly crunchy texture from small bits of ground coffee; with a very slight fruit astringency in the long, pleasing finish.

Flavor notes included: bold, beautiful, complex and balanced rich dark chocolate and coffee notes (red fruit, berry, citrus, faint caramel). Medium fruit acidity. Nicely balanced medium-level, mellowed bitterness. Note: this was slightly addicting; so don't start sampling this bar too close to bedtime if caffeine keeps you up at night.

While I was savoring this coffee + chocolate blend, I couldn't help but think about other ways to enjoy this bar. This Mexican chocolate would be a great addition to a dessert plate; a tasting flight; the basis for a small cup of mocha drinking chocolate; or incorporated into another dessert item.

Chock full of authentic, layered, chocolate and coffee flavors, this well-balanced and well-executed chocolate delivered so much, with only three ingredients. 

Ingredients: "Cacao beans, Cane sugar, Coffee beans."

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a Facility that processes wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts and eggs."

Mitica - Coffee Pesetas - Chocolate-Covered Fruit & Nut Cake with Coffee - Sept. 1, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mitica
Coffee Pesetas - Chocolate-Covered Fruit & Nut Cake with Coffee
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 4.94 oz. (140 g.) in total package
Calories: 140 calories (estimate) in 2 pieces
Cost: $10.99 for 1 package of 8 pieces
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

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

Today's Mitica Pesetas Coffee Chocolate-Covered Fruit & Nut Cake with Coffee (discs) were produced by Paiarrop S.L. (Valencia, Spain), and imported into the U.S. by Forever Cheese LLC (New York, NY).

Aroma notes included: dried fruits (date, fig); smooth dark chocolate; with faint, mild nut (almond); and faint, rich coffee. 

Texture: a blend of dried fruit (figs, dates) and finely chopped nuts (almonds) pressed into a disc form, and covered by smooth dark chocolate.

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes (mentioned above), but with deeper/richer smooth dark chocolate, dried fruit and salt notes. 

I liked the subtle coffee, almonds and especially the sprinkling of salt. All three of these flavors balanced out the natural, concentrated sweetness in the (preservative-free) dates and figs.

Company tasting/pairing notes: "...smooth on the outside, inside they are soft and tender with a mix of dates, figs, coffee, and buttery almonds. Pair with cheese and charcuterie..."

Ingredients: Pitted Dates, Dark Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, reduced fat cocoa powder, SOY lecithin, natural vanilla extract), Dried Figs, Dark Chocolate Chips (sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla flavor), ALMONDS, Soluble Coffee, Roasted Cocoa Nibs, Salt. 

Allergen-related information: Contains: Soy (lecithin), Tree Nuts (almonds)

The Chocolate Conspiracy - Coffee Cream Ale 75% Cacao Chocolate Bar - Aug. 31, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Chocolate Conspiracy
Coffee Cream Ale - 75% Cacao Chocolate Bar 
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Beer and Hops Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Coffee Cream Ale 75% Cacao Chocolate Bar was made by The Chocolate Conspiracy (Salt Lake City, UT). (This bar followed a Black Lager bar from The Chocolate Conspiracy featured yesterday.)

This cacao + ale bar was crafted with "organic, unroasted, single-origin cacao beans from the Ucayali region of Peru." And cacao nibs were infused with Coffee Cream Ale from Kiitos Brewing (Salt Lake City, UT).

Beer makes up a large category of fermented beverages made with water, (malted) grains and hops. Lagers use a bottom-fermenting yeast and a cold fermentation. Yesterday's dark-hued "black" lager had a very roast-y, almost smokey aroma, but a crisp, clean, more friendly, less hop-py flavor than expected.

Ales, on the other hand, are made with a top-fermenting yeast and a warmer fermentation process and can have more complex, hoppy flavors. Today's bar was a blend of Peru cacao, coffee and a light cream ale. Buckle up! I thought.

Aroma notes for today's 75% cacao ale and coffee blend included: rich, dark chocolate (chocolate-y, with diffuse red fruit); an array of what I'd call pleasant, sweet green botanical (green fig jam, green walnuts in syrup); and roasted coffee.

Despite the blend of relatively bold flavors, I could taste much more of the chocolate in today's 75% (Peru) cacao bar (than in yesterday's Black Lager 75% (Peru) cacao bar. 

Texture: smooth, almost silky with a rapid, even (and very slightly waxy) melt--a texture I associated with honey-sweetened chocolate bars. It's a unique and relatively pleasant texture, that may, in some cases, enable a more interesting/longer finish.

Flavor notes for this bar included: dark chocolate; roasted/robust coffee; and faint hop and ale. It was also a bit lower in bitter and hop flavors than expected.

This bar was full of harmonious, roast-y and bittersweet flavors. The un-roasted (raw) Peruvian cacao delivered a rich, dark chocolate experience (with faint, diffuse red fruit, berry notes) that was accentuated by roasted coffee (that may have also had berry notes).

The ale was harder to detect until the finish. It may have just harmonized very well with the cacao and coffee. Just as the cacao was less detectable in yesterday's Black Lager bar yesterday, the Ale was in the background today. Either way, the result was a tasty chocolate; and the flavors were balanced, authentic and satisfying.

Last but not least, the raw, unfiltered wildflower honey helped balance the bitter and roasted flavors and added a very subtle, layered sweetness.

I appreciated the chance to try this flavorful blend, and the maker's choices to use a short list of high-quality and organic ingredients. 

Ingredients: "Raw Organic Cacao Beans, Raw Organic Cacao Butter, Raw Unfiltered Honey, Kiitos Coffee Cream Ale"

Allergen-related information: "Manufactured in a facility that also processes peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans, coconut, and pistachios."