DAT Chocolate - Almond Crunch Dark Chocolate + Quinoa 63% Cacao (bar) - May 31, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

DAT Chocolate
Organic Almond Crunch Dark Chocolate + Quinoa 63% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35.5 g.) / 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in total bar
Calories: 162.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $N/A - part of a larger order; $56.00 for an 8-bar variety pack
Purchased from: Nutsola, online order 

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Quinoa Theme Week. Like cacao, quinoa has its origins in South America. Quinoa has long been a cultivated food staple, particularly with indigenous peoples in the Andean regions of Peru and Bolivia.

Today's DAT Chocolate Organic Almond Crunch Dark Chocolate + Quinoa (bar) was distributed by Nutsola LLC (Livingston, NJ)). This father and son run company offers several date-sweetened chocolates made without any other added sugars or artificial sweeteners/sugar alcohols.

Aroma notes for this 63% dark chocolate bar included: dark chocolate with nut (almond) and malt and subtle dark, sweet fruit (dates).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with crunchy pieces of roasted almonds and quinoa. The dates were completely incorporated into the chocolate.

Flavor notes included: dark, dense, balanced, roasted cacao (well-managed, Forastero cacao variety), mild date sweetness, and gentle nut (almond) and quinoa. This chocolate was also accented with just the right amount (not very much) sea salt.

I enjoyed the level of natural sweetness. It wasn't too sweet. (It was less sugary sweet than most other 63% cacao dark chocolate bars.). I also appreciated the short list of organic ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic Cacao, Organic Date, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Roasted Almonds, Organic Quinoa, Sea Salt

Allergen-related information: "Contains Almonds. May contain occasional pits. Shares equipment with products containing Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk, Egg, and Wheat." 

Xocolatl Chocolate - Nicaragua 72% Dark Chocolate (bar) - May 30, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Xocolatl Chocolate 
Nicaragua 72% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.3 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.6 oz. (75 g.) total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Central America Theme Week.

Today's Nicaragua 72% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Xocolatl LLC, a small batch chocolate maker based in Atlanta, GA. The company offers a variety of chocolates, including single origin bean-to-bar chocolates.

This bar was made using cacao sourced directly from Cacao Bisiesto "within the shaded forests of El Tuma, Nicaragua and produced in partnership with Birds Georgia.

Aroma notes for this 72% bar included: subtle dark chocolate; fleeting biscuit; and very faint, diffuse fruit and floral.

Flavor notes included: rich dark chocolate (fudge brownie, drinking chocolate), faint floral and oolong tea; and barely detectable, diffuse fruit (citrus). 

I liked this well-executed and flavorful dark chocolate with classic chocolate-y flavor--plus some additional, subtle complexity (floral and tea notes); and the short list of quality and organic ingredients.

Maker's description (tasting profile for this bar): "Classic cocoa, lightly floral, tannic with low acidity."

Ingredients: "Cacao, Cane Sugar*, and Cocoa Butter* (* organic)"

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