Taza Chocolate - 70% Dark Chocolate Raspberry Crunch (bar) - Nov. 4, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Taza Chocolate
70% Dark Chocolate Raspberry Crunch (bar) 
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar 

Calories: 190 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $N/A - gift from friends 
Purchased from: N/A - gift from friends

Welcome to Day #15 of Chocolate and Fruits Theme Week.

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate Raspberry Crunch (bar) was made by Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA).

Taza Chocolate was established in 2005. Founder Alex Whitmore was inspired by Mexican stone-ground chocolates--such as the disks/wheels of drinking chocolates you might see in specialty markets in the U.S.--after traveling in Oaxaca, Mexico. The company uses organic cacao (and other ingredients) and maintains direct relationships with cacao growers/sources in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Aroma notes for this vegan and dairy-free, bean-to-bar chocolate "Crunch" bar included: red raspberry jam and smooth dark chocolate.

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a snap. And the base dark chocolate had a stone-ground (slightly coarser texture) and crispy/crunchy texture due to puffed quinoa.  The maker(s) remind us: "This bar isn't silky smooth--on purpose." Why? Less refining* and grinding results in preserving more flavors and nutrients. (And if you start with a higher-quality cacao, you don't want to lose some of those flavors.)

I liked the blend of smooth and crunchy textures; and the balanced, chocolate-y 70% cacao flavor. The sweetness level was where I like it. I also appreciated the use of organic and gluten-free ingredients.

And while the raspberry fruit flavor was a little strong (enhanced), it tasted relatively authentic. (I'd be interested in tasting this dark chocolate with just the Organic Raspberry Flavor Oil--without the addition of Natural Flavors.)

Ingredients: Organic Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Puffed Quinoa, Organic Raspberry Flavor Oil (Organic Sunflower Oil and Natural Flavors). 

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

*Refining is typically done with machines with granite/stone grinding wheels with the goal of reducing particle size. The longer the ground cacao beans spend in the refiner, the smaller the particle size. (Some makers have refiners going for days to achieve particle sizes less than 20 microns.) Time in a refiner is often followed by more time spent in conching machines that coat each tiny cacao solid particle with cocoa butter. 

Longer times spent in these machines may result in smoother textures and flavors, but the additional oxidation can also result in volatile flavor loss, and loss of nutrients/nutritional properties.