Standout Chocolate - Caramelized Goat Cheese 58% Dominican Republic (bar) - Aug. 31, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Standout Chocolate
Caramelized Goat Cheese 58% Dominican Republic (bar)

Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 299 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Savory Chocolates Theme Week.

Today's Caramelized Goat Cheese 58% Dominican Republic (bar) was from Standout Chocolate (Goteborg, Sweden). 

The makers chose to use cacao from Oko Caribe in the Dominican Republic and used Getmese ("a traditional Swedish food") made from "goat's milk whey that has been boiled down and caramelised."

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth, sweet (caramel) dark chocolate (rich, chocolate-y, slightly earthy) with very slight tangy sweet, very light umami (mild, sweet cheese).

Ingredients: Cacao beans*, Sugar*, Cacao butter*, Goat's Milk Whey; Organic Cacao content: 58%."

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk

The Organic House - Barbeque Cookout 70% Cacao Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) - Aug. 30, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

The Organic House
BBQ Cookout 70% Cacao Philippines Bon Bulak (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 30 g. (1 serving) of bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Organic House, online order 

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week; and Day #2 of Chocolate and Savory Flavors Theme Week. 

Chocolate historically has been incorporated into both sweet and savory beverages and foods, e.g. mole sauce in Mexico; chilis in cacao beverages and bars; BBQ spice meat rubs; and the occasional bacon chocolate bar). So chocolate infused with a barbeque spice mix seemed perfectly reasonable to me.

Today's Barbeque Cookout 70% Cacao Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada). I'm thankful to them for not shying away from savory flavors.

Aroma and flavor additions for this unique chocolate included: a harmonious blend of quality cacao from the Philippines; a savory, barbeque spice blend; and coconut flower nectar.

The Bon Bulak cacao* was tasty with balanced complexity, and it partnered well with the savory spices. (See also previous entries for The Organic House's 65% Coffee Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) and Cool Dill 70% Cacao Philippines Bon Bulak (bar.)

Texture: This well-executed chocolate had a smooth texture and a satisfying melt. Flavor additions were well balanced and fully integrated into the chocolate. (There was no spice powder grit, or detectable salt crystals or pepper particles.) 

This was a fun and tasty bar, and could be part of a savory chocolate tasting flight; or (if you're an adventurous chef) this could be part of a sweet and savory chocolate dessert.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "notes of sweet BBQ and mellow earth notes, with a smooth finish"

Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans, Organic coconut flower nectar, Organic cacao butter, Paprika, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Sea salt, Chili powder, Black pepper, Cayenne pepper."

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that uses tree nuts. "May contain Almonds, Cashews, Hazelnuts, Oats, Pecans, Pistachios."

*Origin: Kablon Farms, "a 70-acre bio diversified, sustainable farm" in South Cotabato, in Davao, Philippines. (Most cacao from the Philippines in chocolate bars today is grown in the Davao region.)

 

The Organic House - Cool Dill 70% Cacao Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) - Aug. 29, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

The Organic House
Cool Dill 70% Cacao Philippines Bon Bulak (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 156 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Organic House, online order 

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Savory Flavors Theme Week. 

If you just think of chocolate as always being sweet, expect to see some unusual combinations over the next two weeks. Chocolate is more versatile than you might imagine; and (disclaimer) I enjoy chocolate with savory flavors.

Today's Cool Dill 70% Cacao Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada).

Aroma and flavor additions for this unique chocolate included: a harmonious blend of quality cacao and savory dill (seeds), onion and salt, sweetened with Ontario maple sugar. 

The Bon Bulak cacao* was very tasty with balanced complexity, and it partnered well with flavor inclusions in this bar and for a coffee bar last week. (See previous entry for The Organic House's 65% Coffee Phiippines Bon Bulak bar.)

Texture: This well-executed unique chocolate had a smooth texture and a satisfying melt. Flavor additions were well balanced and fully integrated into the chocolate. (There were no pickle particles, maple sugar crystals, onion bits, detectable dill seeds or sea salt crystals.) 

This was a fun and tasty bar. Think high-end dill pickle cucumber chips magically blended with high-quality dark chocolate. It's better than you might think. The (maple sugar) and sea salt/savory dill seasoning balance was just right for me. 

Maker's Tasting Notes: "notes of dill weed and mellow earth notes, with a smooth finish."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, Ontario maple sugar, Organic cacao butter, Dill seeds, Onion powder, Sea salt.

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that uses tree nuts. 

*Origin: Kablon Farms, "a 70-acre bio diversified, sustainable farm" in South Cotabato, in Davao, Philippines. (Most cacao from the Philippines we're seeing in chocolate bars today is grown in the Davao region.)

Askinosie - 62% Dark Milk Chocolate + Fleur de Sel (bar) - Aug. 28, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Askinosie Chocolate 
62% Dark Milk Chocolate + Fleur de Sel (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 320 calories in 2/3 bar
Cost: $10.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Good Food Awards winner: a 62% Dark Milk Chocolate + Fleur de Sel (bar) was from Askinosie Chocolate (Springfield, MO).

This bean-to-bar dark milk chocolate was made using (Trinitario variety) cacao from the Philippines.

Aroma and flavor notes for this well-executed, single origin bar included: satisfying dark milk chocolate with faint caramel (organic cane sugar); very faint (almost undetectable) goat milk; and subtle sea salt. 

Texture: wonderfully smooth, thick and creamy texture with a satisfying, even melt

I enjoyed the lovely texture and the smooth and balanced chocolate-y flavors. And I appreciated Askinosie's long history of highlighting cacao farmers and their stories on their packaging. Today's bar featured an image of cacao farmer Peter Cruz from Davao (in the Philippines).

Ingredients: "Davao, Philippines Cocoa Beans (Trinitario), Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter (Made in our factory with Davao beans--visit askinosie.com for details), Goat's Milk Powder, Sea Salt."

Allergen-related information: Contains Goat's Milk.

The Organic House - Cup of Coffee (Tasse de Cafe) 65% Cacao Philippines (bar) - Aug. 27, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

The Organic House
Cup of Coffee (Tasse de Cafe) 65% Cacao Philippines (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 198 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Cup of Coffee (Tasse de Cafe) 65% Cacao Philippines (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada).

Aroma and flavor additions included: a harmonious blend of quality cacao and coffee, sweetened with Ontario maple sugar. I experienced the best of many worlds (single origin ingredients that had great nuanced flavors, with balanced complexity).

Texture: This well-tempered--and overall well-executed--chocolate had a smooth texture and a satisfying melt. Flavor additions were well integrated. (There was no coffee "grit" or granular maple sugar texture.) Note: I like maple sugar, but don't want it to be overwhelming. This was just the right amount and application for me.

I really liked this chocolate. 

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Strong notes of coffee, maple, porcini, sage, lilac, and petit verdot*. Mellow earthy notes, with a smooth finish."

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, Ontario maple sugar, Organic cacao butter, Organic coffee.

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

* Petit verdot is a red wine grape.

 

Pili Hunters - Pili Bar 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 26, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Pili Hunters 
Pili Bar 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.99 for 1 bar 
Purchased from: Pili Hunters, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Pili Bar 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate (bar) from Pili Hunters LLC (Bend, OR) was manufactured by Coracao Confections (Oakland (now Richmond), CA). 

Pili nuts are native to The Philippines; and can be found in tropical forests and volcanic areas of the islands (particularly the Bicol area, in southeastern Luzon (Island)).

The company has created a variety of pili nut offerings (from plain nuts to pili + chocolate and mocha blends), using wild-harvested pili nuts from the Philippines. (See yesterday's featured (whole) pili nuts lightly dusted with raw cacao.)

Aroma and flavor notes included: flavorful dark chocolate with fruit acidity (apple) and warm spice (cinnamon); and light sea salt. The use of coconut sugar helped add a bit of flavor depth and enhanced the almost buttery apple pie notes. (Pili nuts can also have delicate butter and toast notes that may have contributed to this flavor.)

Texture: smooth textured with an even, rich melt

I enjoyed this lightly sweetened 70% dark bar -- described as "the first and only pili-based...dark chocolate" and "suitable for the keto community..." And it was gluten free (thank you). I appreciated the short list of organic and thoughtfully sourced ingredients.

Ingredients: Cacao Paste*, Coconut Sugar*, Wild Pili Nuts, Cacao Butter*, Himalayan Salt, Pacific Flake Salt (*Organic). 

Allergen-related information: Contains Pili Nuts. Made in a facility that processes almonds, cashews, coconut and other tree nuts. 

Pili Hunters - Wild Harvested Nuts with Raw Cacao - Aug. 25, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Pili Hunters
Wild Harvested Nuts with Raw Cacao 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 4 oz. (113 g.) in total package
Calories: 220 calories in 1 serving (1/4 package)
Cost: $13.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Pili Hunters website, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Wild Harvested Nuts with Raw Cacao were a product of The Philippines and distributed by Pili Hunters LLC (Bend, OR).

These cocoa dusted pili nuts looked very much like whole almonds. However, bite into one and you'll experience a pleasant crunch immediately followed by a very satisfying buttery melt. These were much smoother and less fibrous than almonds and many other nuts. 

Aroma and flavor notes included: gentle nut, cacao, and faint sourdough bread/toast. 

It was great to taste pili nuts on their own for the first time--not heavily coated/blended with a lot of chocolate. Their more delicate flavor and unique, smooth texture might have been lost in the mix.

To test this theory, I re-tasted a 65% dark chocolate (from Theo & Philo in the Philippines) with black sesame seeds, cashews and pili nut pieces. Very nice chocolate bar; but, as I thought, it was hard to make out the individual pili nuts with a multi-ingredient blend.

I really appreciated the chance to try these whole nuts (dusted with cacao and a small amount of coconut sugar). Just three ingredients. I was able to fully enjoy their extraordinary buttery and softly crunchy texture as well as their (mild and unexpected) tasty buttered toast notes. 

Tomorrow, I'll feature a 70% Cacao Pili Nut Dark Chocolate from this vendor (Pili Hunters).

Ingredients: Sprouted Pili Nuts, Raw Cacao, Coconut Sugar

Allergen-related information: Contains Pili Nuts

Fossa Chocolate 70% Dark Rehoboth Estate Philippines (bar) - Aug. 24, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Fossa Chocolate 

70% Dark Rehoboth Estate Philippines (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137.25 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Caputo's, online order 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 70% Dark Rehoboth Estate Philippines (bar) was from Fossa Chocolate (Singapore).

Aroma and flavor notes included: rich, dark chocolate with balanced dried/fermented red fruits: fermented grapes (port/red wine) and plum/prune. Subtle, high-quality, well-executed flavors with depth, that closed  with a clean finish.

Texture: This bar was well-tempered with a smooth texture, melt and mouthfeel. 

I enjoyed the sophisticated fruit and the single origin (Philippines) dark chocolate complexity; the balanced boldness and dark fudge-y rich qualities that stopped just short of bitterness; and last, but not least, the impressive flavors coaxed from just two high-quality ingredients.

Make sure to slow down and smell, taste and enjoy all that this chocolate has to offer.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Tawny port, Prunes, Red dates"

Ingredients: "Cacao, cane sugar"

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

Kasama - Tanned Chocolate Philippine Muscovado and Roasted Cacao Nibs - Aug. 23, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Kasama 
Tanned Chocolate Philippine Muscovado and Roasted Cacao Nibs (bar)

Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: .985 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.97 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 172 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Tanned Chocolate Philippine Muscovado and Roasted Cacao Nibs (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Granville Island, Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Aroma and flavor notes for this caramel-hued bar included: sweet, smooth cocoa butter and milk infused with brown sugar, interspersed with cacao bean pieces (nibs).

Texture: very smooth and creamy bar with crunchy cacao nib pieces

I liked the idea of highlighting the muscovado sugar flavors, the idea of a "tanned chocolate" that was neither white chocolate nor dark; the use of cacao and muscovado sugar from the Philippines; and the short list of ingredients.

Ingredients: Organic Cacao Butter, Whole Milk Powder, Philippine Muscovado Sugar, Philippine Cacao Beans

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that contains nuts."

 

Kasama - 75% Tupi South Cotabato, Philippines Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 22, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Kasama 
75% Tupi South Cotabato, Philippines Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: .985 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.97 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 166 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama, online order 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Tupi South Cotabato, Philippines Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Granville Island, Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Aroma and flavor notes for this attractively packaged bar included: sweet dark chocolate with faint sweet green, coconut, brown sugar/caramel and very faint cream (yogurt) in the finish.

Texture: very smooth, well-tempered

I liked the complex, balanced aroma and bold flavor in this dark chocolate; the use of cacao beans from the Philippines; and the short list of just three, organic ingredients.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "For this 75% dark chocolate, we used cacao beans grown by Kablon Farms, which have notes of honeysuckle, toasted coconut, and dulce de leche."

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter* (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that contains nuts."

Oodaalolly - Trinitario Cacao 40% Salty Toffee Milk Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 21, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Oodaalolly Chocolate
Trinitario Cacao 40% Salty Toffee Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Malaya Botanicals, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Trinitario Cacao 40% Salty Toffee Milk Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by Oodaalolly Chocolate using Trinitario variety cacao and Ilocano salt--both from the Philippines.

Aroma and Flavor notes included: sweet, smooth milk chocolate with chocolate-y (dark milk chocolate ganache) and very faint (barely detectable) fruit and butter toffee--with a tasty, slightly salty chocolate and toffee finish. 

This 40% milk chocolate bar was quite sweet; however the salt and the higher quality cacao helped balance the sweetness.

Texture: smooth, relatively creamy texture and melt with intermittent tiny crunchy bits of salt and toffee. 

I really appreciated the maker's use of single origin cacao and salt; the short list of quality and organic ingredients; and the sweet and salty balance.

Ingredients: Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Milk Powder, Ilocano Sea Salt, Toffee. Manufactured by Oodaalolly, a H&G Chocolate Distribution Company* (in Richmond, CA). 

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Manufactured in a Facility That Also Processes: Milk, Almond, Coconut"

*Note: Oodaalolly Chocolate merged operations with H&G Chocolate Distribution Company in 2024.

Oodaalolly Chocolate - Trinitario (Philippine) Cacao 40% Swiss-Style Milk Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 20, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Oodaalolly Chocolate
Trinitario Cacao 40% Swiss-Style Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Malaya Botanicals, Alameda, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Trinitario Cacao 40% Swiss-Style Milk Chocolate (bar) was created by Oodaalolly Chocolate founder Hernan Lauber, using Trinitario variety cacao from the Philippines and Swiss chocolate making techniques learned from his father. 

Aroma and Flavor notes included: sweet, smooth milk chocolate with chocolate-y (dark milk chocolate ganache) and very faint (barely detectable) fruit notes with a smooth, clean finish.

This bar was fairly sweet, but it was a higher quality 40% cacao chocolate than you'll find in many other places.

Texture: smooth, almost velvety texture and melt

I really appreciated the maker's use of single origin cacao (Philippines); the short list of quality and organic ingredients; and the use of Swiss milk chocolate techniques.

Ingredients: Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Cocoa Butter, Milk Powder 

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. "Manufactured in a Facility That Also Processes: Milk, Almond, Coconut"

Note: Oodaalolly Chocolate merged operations with H&G Chocolate Distribution Company in 2024.

Theo & Philo Chocolate Factory - 65% Dark Chocolate with Pineapple and Salt (bar) - Aug. 19, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Theo & Philo Chocolate Factory
65% Dark Chocolate with Pineapple and Salt (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.9 oz. (54 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 212 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $8.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 65% Dark Chocolate with Pineapple and Salt (bar) was manufactured by Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory (Metro Manila, The Philippines).

Aroma and Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate; and subtle tropical fruit with sweet green (pine) (pineapple), balanced sea salt and faint earth.

Texture: Relatively soft, smooth dark chocolate embedded with tiny shreds of pineapple (fruit). 

I really enjoyed the authentic flavors in this bar, the beautiful packaging (with illustrations of Palawan Binturong(s), aka bearcats, and pineapples); and the fact that this bar was crafted in the Philippines using a short list of ingredients.

Maker's notes: "This bar's flavor is as cheeky as a duwende (mythical creature similar to a goblin or gnome) on a sugar rush."

Ingredients: Cacao, Sugar, Dried Pineapple, Cocoa Butter, Salt

Allergen-related information: Processed in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts, milk, and other dairy products. Contains sulfites.

 

Auro - Don Papa Masskara Rum 60% Dark Chocolate w/ Calamansi, Chili & Honeycomb (bar) - Aug. 18, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Auro 
Don Papa Masskara Rum Infused 60% Dark Chocolate w/ Calamansi, Chili & Honeycomb (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++ 
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 312 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate & The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Don Papa Masskara Rum Infused 60% Dark Chocolate with Calamansi, Chili & Honeycomb (bar) was produced by Filipinas Oro de Cacao, Inc. (dba/aka Auro Chocolate) (Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines).

The cacao used to make this tree-to-bar chocolate was from the Saloy Estate on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines.

Aroma and flavor notes included: a warm blend of chocolate; honeyed spirits (sweet rum, vanilla marshmallow, caramel, toffee, brown sugar, very faint smokey-sweet tobacco); and very light, balanced citrus and chili. 

Texture: smooth chocolate with a satisfying melt + barely detectable very tiny buttery, crunchy toffee bits.

I really enjoyed the harmonious complexity; the orchestra of flavors played very well together. Lots of elements to enjoy, without any one flavor inclusion being too dominant. 

This chocolate was sweet, but the overall sweetness had a lot of attractive depth (muscovado (brown) sugar, honey, citrus, rum) vs. a wall of flat and buzzy white sugar).

Maker's description: "the finest cacao...infused with Don Papa Masskara--a premium, pot-distilled rum infused with honey, calamansi and chili labuyo..."

Ingredients: "Cacao mass, organic muscovado sugar, cacao butter, cane sugar, honey, baking soda, dried calamansi, natural calamansi extract powder, soy lecithin (as emulsifier), dried chili powder, rum"

Allergen-related information: Contains Soy. "This product is manufactured in a facility that processes other products which may contain milk, oats, tree nuts and peanuts."

Solkiki - Maranon Coconut Dark Milk 60% Whisky Nibs - Aug. 17, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Solkiki
Maranon Coconut Dark Milk 60% Whisky Nibs (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 305 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $15.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

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

Today's Maranon 60% Coconut Dark Milk Whisky Nibs (bar) was from Solkiki Chocolatemaker (Dorset, U.K.). The company's founders (Iris and Bob) were early entrants (in 2008) in the new wave of bean-to-bar craft chocolate makers in the U.K.

The cacao used to make this whisky bar was Fortunato No. 4 Maranon cacao (a prized "Pure Nacional" variety from Peru). 

Starward Whisky (Australia) brought a rich, satisfying flavor (deep red wine, oak) into the cacao nibs and the entire bar.

Aroma and flavor notes included: pleasingly aromatic and warm whisky and dark chocolate. The coconut (fresh coconut + caramel) was very subtle (barely detectable) and the unrefined cane sugar added faint, warm brown sugar flavor depth that complemented the whisky and chocolate very nicely.

Texture: relatively smooth dark chocolate populated with a generous field of tiny crunchy (cacao nib) bits.

Not surprisingly, as someone who enjoys dark chocolate and bold, balanced spirits (whiskey) flavors, I really liked this bar. I found it a little addictive. 

I appreciated the makers' thoughtful, short list of quality and organic ingredients. And I liked that the coconut in this coconut milk chocolate was dialed back a little, serving as a successful background contributor vs. being more prominent.

Ingredients: "Organic Fortunato No.4 cacao beans, organic unrefined cane sugar, organic cold-pressed cacao butter, organic coconut, pink salt, Starward Whisky Fortunato No.4 nibs."

Allergen-related information: Contains Coconut. "Vegan. May contain traces of soy, nuts, gluten"   

The Organic House - Maple Whisky 70% Cacao Thailand-Chumphon Collective (bar) - Aug. 16, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

The Organic House
Maple Whisky 70% Cacao Thailand-Chumphon Collective (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 27.5 oz. (.97 g.) / 55 oz. (1.94 g.) in total bar
Calories: 154 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order

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

Today's Maple Whisky 70% Cacao Thailand-Chumphon Collective (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, Ontario, Canada).

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate, subtle fruit, maple sugar and warm brown sugar + caramel.

Texture: This attractive, well-tempered, bar broke with an audible snap and had a smooth texture and melt.

I liked the short list of quality ingredients; and the authentic maple sugar/brown sugar and subtly the nuanced, single origin (Thailand) dark chocolate. I would have enjoyed tasting more of the whisky. 

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Warm notes of Whisky and maple, with a smooth finish"

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, Ontario maple sugar, Organic cacao butter, Whisky 

Allergen-related information: "May contain: Cashews + Hazelnuts + Oats + Pecans."..."Made in a facility that uses tree nuts."

Solkiki - Rum n Raisin 63% Coconut Dark Milk (bar) - Aug. 15, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Solkiki
Rum n Raisin 63% Coconut Dark Milk (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

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

Today's Rum n Raisin 63% Coconut Dark Milk (bar) was from Solkiki Chocolatemaker (United Kingdom).

Cacao source: Gran Nativo Blanco cacao beans from Piura, North Peru. The rum was Diplomatico Reserva Rum, was from the Diplomatico Distillery (in Venezuela).

Aroma and flavor notes included: sweet coconut milk chocolate embedded with slightly boozy, plump raisins. 

Texture: smooth, very slightly chalky (likely due to slightly bloomed chocolate*).

Ingredients: "Organic Gran Nativo Cacao Beans, Organic Unrefined Cane Sugar, Organic Undeodoriesed Cacao Butter, Organic Coconut, Organic Raisins, Diplomatico Reserva Rum"

Allergen-related information: Contains Coconut. "Vegan. May contain traces of soy, nuts, gluten"  

*This coconut chocolate bar wasn't expired. But, sadly, somewhere in the shipping/storage process before it reached me, this bar likely became slightly "bloomed"--where a slightly white-ish coloration appears and the texture is somewhat affected as ingredients/cacao butter move from a tempered to a less stable configuration.

Weinrichs - Rum Milk Chocolate with Rum Truffle Filling (bar) - Aug. 14, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Weinrichs 
Rum Milk Chocolate with Rum Truffle Filling (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's Rum Milk Chocolate with Rum Truffle Filling (bar) was from Ludwig Weinrich GmbH & Co. KG (Herford, Germany). The company has been involved in making chocolate since 1895, an impressive feat.

Aroma and flavor notes for this, substantial, filled bar included: milk chocolate (chocolate-y with subtle rum and vanilla). This chocolate was fairly sweet, rich, creamy/buttery, and not too boozy.

I liked the relatively smooth/subtle texture, rich melt and mouthfeel, and the blend of warm flavors. The chocolate itself was fairly mild. It tasted like a rich milk chocolate, but lacked the typical cocoa aroma, acidity or balanced bitterness that most darker milk chocolate bars have--due to the lower cocoa content (30%).

Ingredients: sugar, cocoa butter(1), skim milk powder, cocoa liquor(1), butter fat (milk), rum, Cocoa powder (1), glucose syrup, invert sugar, hazelnut paste, lecithins, natural flavour, invertase, vanilla extract. Cocoa solids: 30% minimum in chocolate content. Milk solids: 15% in product.

"Alcohol content 2.5% alc. vol. Not to be sold to anyone under 21 years of age."

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk and hazelnut. May contain wheat, egg and other tree nuts (almond, pistachio, pecans).

Zotter - Cognac + Coffee - Coffee Couverture filled with cognac cream (bar) - Aug. 13, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Zotter
Cognac + Coffee - Coffee Couverture filled with cognac cream (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.89 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

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

Today's Apricot Waltz - Milk Chocolate 40% filled with apricot ganache and marzipan (bar) was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Aroma and flavor notes included: chocolate, coffee and Cognac with faint vanilla and caramel.

Texture: creamy, layered textures chocolate with a velvety couverture and ("hand-scooped") creamy cognac-infused center.

This was a relatively sweet, filled bar, but (happily) the coffee, cognac and chocolate helped balance the sweetness and the sugars were not overwhelming. Dark brown sugar and a bit of butter added pleasing caramel taste and added flavor depth.

The cognac was subtle, well-balanced and not too boozy.

I enjoyed this sophisticated bean-to-bar chocolate bar; and I appreciated the use of organic and fair trade ingredients.

Ingredients: Cane Sugar*+, Cocoa Mass*+, Cocoa Butter,*+, Cognac (10%), Dry Whole Milk, Invert Sugar Syrup*, Butter (Cream), Glucose Syrup*, Ground Coffee Beans*+ (1%), Dry Skim Milk, Dry Sweet Whey, Dark Brown Cane Sugar*+, Lecithin (Soy)*, Coffee Powder*+ (0.1%), Salt, Vanilla Bean Powder*+, Cardamom*.

*=Organic [87% Organic Ingredients]; +=Fair Traded, Fair Trade Content in Total: 72%

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Milk, Soy. - Manufactured on Equipment That Processes Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Eggs, Gluten and Sesame." 

Zotter - Apricot Waltz - Milk Chocolate 40% filled w/ apricot ganache, marzipan (bar) - Aug. 12, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Zotter
Apricot Waltz - Milk Chocolate 40% filled with apricot ganache and marzipan (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.89 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

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

Today's Apricot Waltz - Milk Chocolate 40% filled with apricot ganache and marzipan (bar) was made in Austria and distributed by Zotter Chocolates US LLC (Fort Myers, FL).

Aroma and flavor notes included: chocolate, almond marzipan infused with rich, tart sweet fruit (lemon, apricot), vanilla and faint brown sugar, very slight alcohol (apricot brandy) and floral. 

Texture: creamy milk chocolate with a soft ("hand-scooped"), creamy marzipan center

This was a sweet chocolate, filled confection of a bar, but (happily) the sugars did not overwhelm the flavors. I enjoyed being able to taste the chocolate, fruit and nut ingredients in this bar. 

The apricot brandy was also relatively restrained so it added a subtle and authentic apricot-laced boozy boost, but it wasn't too strong.

This bean-to-bar chocolate version of a typical marzipan bar included some interesting and authentically fruity flavors that enriched the tasting experience. I also appreciated the use of organic and fair trade ingredients.

Ingredients: Cane Sugar*+, Marzipan* (Almonds*, Sugar*, Invert Sugar Syrup*), Cocoa Butter,*+, Dry Whole Milk, Cocoa Mass*+,  Apricot Concentrate*, Apricot Brandy*, Glucose Syrup*, Apricot Puree*, Dried Apricots*, Dry Skim Milk, Almonds*, Lecithin (Soy)*, Dry Sweet Whey, Salt, Dark Brown Cane Sugar*+, Vanilla Bean Powder*+, Rose Petals*, Lemon Powder* (Lemon Juice Concentrate*, Corn Starch*, Sugar*. 

*=Organic (92% Organic Ingredients); +=Fair Traded, Fair Trade 

Allergen-related information: "Contains: Milk, Almonds, Soy. - Manufactured on Equipment That Processes Other Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Eggs and Sesame." 

Lucid Chocolatier Port 68% Dark Chocolate with Tawny Port (bar) - Aug. 11, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Lucid Chocolatier
Port 68% Dark Chocolate with Tawny Port (bar)
Good +++ - Very Good
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 273 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $29.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

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

Today's "Port 68% Dark Chocolate infused with 10 year Tawny Port" (bar) was from Lucid Chocolatier (Aotearoa, New Zealand), and was part of the company's "infusion collection."

Aroma and flavor notes included: very smooth-tasting and satisfying dark chocolate (with hints of chocolate-y dark ganache); rich, mellow red and purple fruits (plump, well-rounded and ripe sweet plums and red grapes) soaked in port wine; and a slight very light but attractive and balanced bitterness--enough to give it some lovely personality and keep it from being too sweet and shallow.

What a tasty bar. It's been my experience that you only arrive at lovely flavors like this via thoughtful sourcing of a short list of single origin ingredients. Three ingredients in this case. Cacao origin: Maranon, Cajamarca, Peru.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Plum, Nuts, Sultana" 

Ingredients: Cacao Mass*, Cane Sugar*, Port. (* = Organic)

Allergen-related information: "Contains Sulfites. May Contain: Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tree Nuts (Almonds, Hazelnuts, Pecan, Macadamia, Pistachio)" 

Qantu - 75% Quebecois Single Malt Whisky Infused Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 10, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Qantu
75% Quebecois Single Malt Whisky Infused Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $25.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week.

Today's 75% Quebecois Single Malt Whisky Infused Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Qantu Cacao et Chocolat Inc. (Montreal, QC, Canada).

Aroma and flavor notes included: balanced and flavorful dark chocolate with caramel and butterscotch, very light wood (oak), and warm (Scotch) whisky that lingered into a long, pleasing finish.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate

I loved the maker's choices of single origin (La Mar, Ayacucho, Peru) cacao, local Mirabel single malt whisky (from Cote Des Saints Distillerie in Quebec). The finished bar with such wonderful flavor depth was made with only four, high-quality ingredients. 

This chocolate bar would be a great gift for a craft chocolate and whisky/whiskey fan. 

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Spice, oak, and peach"

Ingredients: "Cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, whisky"

Allergen-related information: May contain milk, nuts 

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade - Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka with Fennel (bar) - Aug. 9, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Rozsavolgyi Csokolade
Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka with Fennel (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 171.85 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $22.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order, 

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

Today's Chocolate with Candied Cocoa Nibs Soaked in Palinka* and with Fennel (bar) was from Rozsavolgyi Csokolade (Budapest, Hungary). 

The company's name when translated into English ("Rosevalley Chocolate") is also tied to their location. "Rosevalley is a suburban part of Budapest in Hungary."

Aroma and flavor notes for today's flavorful bar included: smooth, naturally sweet and slightly fruity dark chocolate joined by fennel--that contributed light green, sweet licorice notes.

Texture: smooth dark chocolate with little crunchy bits (lightly candied cacao nibs, perhaps some fennel).

I enjoyed the balanced, complementary flavors: dark 73% cacao chocolate, subtle, warm fruit (sweet stone fruit (peach, apricot); and authentic fennel in this bean-to-bar chocolate. 

The illustrations on the packaging of a cartoon cocoa pod named Erik, a cartoon cocoa pod wearing a palinka barrel, and a cartoon apricot character (complete with a hat and a moustache) carrying a flask, etc. were whimsical and fun.

I also appreciated the maker's choice of a short list of quality ingredients in this well-executed bar.

Ingredients: dark chocolate with 73% min. cocoa content (cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter), candied cocoa nibs soaked in palinka, organic cane sugar, fennel.

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a factory that also handles milkpowder, nuts and sesame seed."

*Palinka is a fruit brandy--a distilled spirit, from Hungary that is made with fermented fruits (plums, apricots, cherries and pears, grown in Hungary) without added sugar or other additives.

River-Sea Chocolates - Rum Caramel dark chocolate 60% (bar) - Aug. 8, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

River-Sea Chocolates
Rum Caramel dark chocolate 60% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

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

Today's Rum Caramel dark chocolate 60% (bar) was from River-Sea Chocolate Factory (Chantilly, VA). The company's name was inspired by where the Amazon River meets the Sea.

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark milk chocolate, caramel, butterscotch, brown sugar and aromatic rum. 

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a snap and had a smooth-texture with a satisfying melt.

I enjoyed the heady (wheee!) blend of aroma and flavors in this bar. It reminded me of butterscotch and chocolate brownies--made with single origin cacao, and spiked with smooth dark rum.

And I appreciated the maker's use of a relatively short list of ingredients, the fact that this bar was "direct trade" (Haiti cacao) and "wind powered"--and that the chocolate was gluten and soy free.

Warning: potentially addictive

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Fragrant Cacao Butter, Organic Whole Cow Milk, Pure Caramel Extract, Rum Flavor (Rum, Grain Alcohol)

Allergen-related information: "Produced in a facility that uses nuts, cow milk, and coconut"

Weinrichs - Egg Liqueur Milk Chocolate with Egg Liqueur Truffle Filling (bar) - Aug. 7, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Weinrich's 1895  
Egg Liqueur Milk Chocolate with Egg-Liqueur Truffle Filling (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

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

Today's Egg Liqueur Milk Chocolate (bar) was from Ludwig Weinrich GmbH & Co. KG (Herford, Germany), and imported and distributed in the U.S. by Euro-American Brand (Paramus, NJ). 

Aroma and flavor notes for this filled bar included: chocolate, vanilla cream, eggnog*; rum/alcohol, caramel, and very faint nut.

Texture: very creamy milk chocolate; each square of the bar contained a thin layer of ivory-hued, soft filling.

Yes, this bar was very sweet. But I enjoyed the specific blend of very rich, sweet flavors more than I thought it would. (I expected it would be too sweet or too "egg-y"). It was as described: a thick and creamy milk chocolate, filled with spiked egg liqueur.

The alcohol imparted some attractive flavor depth and the milk + cream ingredients gave it a luxurious creamy texture and flavor.

Ingredients: sugar, cocoa butter, skim milk powder, cocoa liquor, butter fat (milk), egg liqueur (egg, alcohol, sugar, water, natural flavour), milk powder, glucose syrup, cream powder, invert sugar, whey powder, hazelnut paste, lecithins, invertase, salt, vanilla extract. Cocoa solids: 30% minimum in chocolate content. Milk solids 20% in product. 

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, egg and hazelnut. May contain wheat and other tree nuts (almond, pistachio, pecans). 

*Eggnog in the U.S. is a close "relative" of egg liqueur. Our U.S. version usually contains whole eggs, milk and cream, rum (alcohol) and lots of warm spices: primarily nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla.

Egg liqueur in Germany (and Dutch advocaat) are similar in flavor to U.S. eggnog; however, they contain just the (richer) egg yolks (vs. whole eggs), sugar and spirits (brandy, rum, vodka). These two European cocktails may include vanilla, but typically little (if any) milk and/or cream. 

Stoked Chocolates - Japanese Whiskey Caramels - Aug. 6, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Stoked Chocolates
Japanese Whiskey Caramels
Good ++ 
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (48 g.) in total box of 6 caramels 
Calories: 73 calories (estimate) in 2 caramels/pieces
Cost: $16.00 + shipping
Purchased from: Stoked Chocolates, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate & Spirits Theme Week, including bars and chocolate confections flavored with spirits.

Today's Japanese Whiskey Caramels were from Stoked Chocolates (Hermosa Beach, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes for these golden-hued, dome-shaped chocolate confections included smooth, dark chocolate outer shells (chocolate-y, dark ganache) filled with gentle but flavorful whiskey-infused caramel filling. These caramels were well-balanced and subtly, boozy-sweet with a satisfying, warm whiskey and chocolate finish.

Texture: The firm chocolate outer shells had a very creamy dark chocolate melt. And the soft, silken caramel fillings were light, almost delicate; i.e., they weren't too heavy or stiff.

I enjoyed the well-executed flavors and texture; the small size of these chocolate caramels; and the packaging. (The illustration of the octopus on the outside of the box was very nice.) These caramel-filled confections would make a very nice gift.

Ingredients: (No ingredients listed on label); contact company for more information

Allergen-related information: Contact company for more information

Utopick - Milk Chocolate Sparkling Passionfruit 56% Cocoa (bar) - Aug. 5, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Utopick
Milk Chocolate Sparkling Passionfruit 56% Cocoa (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g.) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) in total bar
Calories: 238.8 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: Missing information - estimate $13.00
Purchased from: Oceana Market, Pacifica, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Passion Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Sparkling Passionfruit 56% Cocoa (bar) was from Utopick Chocolates s.l. (Valencia, Spain).

Aroma and flavor notes included: sweet dark milk chocolate with a hint of caramel, effervescent popping candy bits and warm tart-sweet passion fruit. It had the fun of a sparkling, passion fruit cocktail (mixed with a peach-apricot Bellini), surrounded by a creamy, craft chocolate mousse-tart, all in one bite. No small feat.

Texture: creamy milk chocolate with crunchy, fizzy bits of popping candy.

Even though this was on the sweeter side, I enjoyed the upbeat, layered tasting experience of this chocolate. It seemed perfect for a summer tasting--but could be enjoyed year-round.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, pure cocoa butter, whole milk powder; Popping candy (8%): sucrose, cocoa butter, lactose (13.2%), skim milk powder, cocoa mass, glucose, anhydrous butter, soy lecithin (E322), vanilla -- vanillin, flavorings, raising agent: carbon dioxide (E290), freeze-dried passion fruit (4%): cocoa butter, glucose syrup, passion fruit juice concentrate, maltodextrin, apricot pulp, thickeners: modified starch (E1414) and sodium alginate (E401).

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy.

"May contain traces of: Gluten, eggs, celery, peanuts, nuts, mustard, sulfur dioxide and sesame seeds, soy, sulfites."

Definite - Passion Fruit 69% Cacao Dominican Republic Bhonacao (bar) - Aug. 4, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Definite Chocolate
Passion Fruit 69% Cacao Dominican Republic Bhonacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Passion Fruit Theme Week. 

Today's Passion Fruit 69% Cacao Dominican Republic Bhonacao (bar) was from Definite Chocolate, S.R.L. (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (DR)).

About the cacao...

The cacao used to make this chocolate bar was grown and processed "in country." Cacao (beans) were transformed into chocolate in the same country where the cacao had been grown. Typically sacks of cacao beans are shipped to the U.S., Europe or elsewhere for the final manufacturing steps in bean-to-bar chocolates. 

And, I could actually taste the nuances in this single origin DR chocolate; the passion fruit added a pleasant tart-sweet flavor and there wasn't too much sugar. (Thank you!) What a difference when a chocolate is made with just three, high-quality ingredients.

About the fruit...

Passion fruit is native to South America, but even within the Americas this fruit is known by several different names. In the Dominican Republic it is called chinola. (On the other side of the large island of Hispaniola (that DR and Haiti share), it's known by its Haitian Creole name, grenadya.)

Aroma and flavor notes included: bold, well-executed dark chocolate (chocolate-y with barely detectable and well-balanced earth) and authentic tart-sweet tropical fruit (chinola aka passion fruit).

Texture: smooth dark chocolate; there were no fruit pulp or seed bits from the passion fruit.

Ingredients: "Cacao, cane sugar, cacao butter, freeze-dried passion fruit." 

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles nuts & milk."

*Bhonacao is a cacao processing organization located in Paraiso in the Barahona province of the Dominican Republic.

Karu - Maracuya Dark Milk Chocolate with Passion Fruit (bar) - Aug. 3, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Karu
Maracuya Dark Milk Chocolate with Passion Fruit (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate & Passion Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Karu Maracuya Dark Milk Chocolate with Passion Fruit (bar) was made in Bogota, Colombia using cacao grown in the Tumaco region of Colombia.

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate (dark, creamy, chocolate ganache) and authentic tropical fruit (passion fruit)

Texture: relatively smooth dark milk chocolate with tiny crunchy flecks of passion fruit seeds.

I enjoyed the natural tart-sweetness and relatively dark-tasting 50% cacao, single origin milk chocolate.

I also appreciated the short list of quality ingredients and the jaguar-themed packaging. The larger bar was scored into four, generously-sized squares. Each of the squares were embossed with a jaguar image. The inner gold wrapper was covered with milk chocolate hued brown leopard spots; and the outer packaging was a forest of sunny greens and yellows with images of maracuya (passion fruit) fruits--including some that were cut open to reveal delectable golden pulp and seeds inside.

Ingredients: Cacao, Cacao Butter, Cane Sugar, Milk Powder, Freeze-Dried Passion Fruit

Allergen-related information: "Produced in facilities processing milk and nuts"
 

Mayana - Spring Passion Bar - Aug. 2, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Mayana Chocolate
Spring Passion Bar
Good ++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.29 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Cupertino, CA 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate & Passion Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Spring Passion Bar was from Mayana Chocolate (Spooner, WI).

Aroma and flavor notes included: chocolate, authentic-tasting, tart-sweet passion fruit + buttery, slightly salted caramel, faint vanilla and sweet marshmallow. 

A generous layer of passion fruit-infused caramel was topped with a layer of soft, pillow-y marshmallow; and these two layers were enrobed in a chocolate shell to form a finished filled chocolate bar.

I enjoyed the soft, almost silken texture of the caramel, the slight crackle-crunch of the chocolate shell when I bit into it; and the very attractive and authentic passion fruit flavor.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (Cocoa liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower/soy lecithin, natural vanilla, glucose syrup, sugar, heavy cream, butter (cream, salt), passion fruit puree, dextrose, sea salt, gelatin, passionfruit powder, lime powder, passion fruit extract).

Allergen-related information: "Contains Milk & soy. May contain: Traces of tree nuts, peanuts, eggs & wheat."

Stoked Chocolates - Passion Fruit Caramels - Aug. 1, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Stoked Chocolates
Passion Fruit Caramels
Good ++ 
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) / 2 oz. (48 g.) in total box of 6 caramels 
Calories: 73 calories (estimate) in 2 caramels/pieces
Cost: $16.00 + shipping
Purchased from: Stoked Chocolates, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Passion Fruit Theme Week.

Today's Passion Fruit Caramels were from Stoked Chocolates (Hermosa Beach, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes for these purple-hued, dome-shaped chocolate confections included smooth, dark chocolate (chocolate-y, dark ganache) outer "shells" filled with a tart-sweet, authentic passion fruit caramel filling. 

Texture: The firm chocolate outer shells had a creamy dark chocolate melt. And the passion fruit caramel interiors were silky smooth and satisfying (not too heavy or sweet).

I enjoyed the well-executed flavors and texture; and the illustration of the octopus on the outside of the box was lovely.

Ingredients: (No ingredients listed on label); contact company for more information

Allergen-related information: Contact company for more information

World Market - Dark Chocolate Filled with Passion Fruit (filled bar) - July 31, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

(Made for World Market by Astor Chocolate Corp.)
Dark Chocolate Filled with Passion Fruit (filled bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 210 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: World Market, San Jose, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Passion Fruit Theme Week. 

Today's Dark Chocolate Filled with Passion Fruit (filled bar) was manufactured for World Market by Astor Chocolate Corp. (Lakewood, NJ).

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate with very faint wood and black pepper and very faint tropical/passion fruit.

Texture: firm dark chocolate surrounded a thin layer of soft/silky (almost flowing caramel-like) fruity filling.

Flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate (with some enjoyable complex notes) filled with a thin layer of soft and quite sweet passion fruit filling (with faint caramel and tropical fruit/and sweet citric notes).

Warning: this can be somewhat addictive if you eat this if you're hungry.

This was a sweet and tasty filled dark chocolate bar. Sadly, the long list of ingredients (additives, preservatives) and the extra sweetness (sugars) kept me from eating more.

Ingredients: Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Natural Vanilla Flavor), Passion Fruit Cream Filling (Sugar, Corn Syrup, Cream [Heavy Cream, Milk, Contains Less Than 0.5% of Mono and Diglycerides, Polysorbate 80, Carrageenan], Passion Fruit Puree [Water, Passion Fruit Juice Concentrate, Sugar, Pectin, Ascorbic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tara Gum], Butter [Cream, Natural Flavor], Invert Syrup, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Yellow Coloring [Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Glycerin, Yellow 5, Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Carrageenan, Maltodextrin, Corn Sugar, Potassium Sorbate [Preservative], Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid).

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