Nirvana Belgian Chocolates - Organic 72% Dark Spicy Aztec Chocolate (bar) - June 25, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Nirvana Belgian Chocolates
Organic 72% Dark Spicy Aztec Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: World Wide Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Floral Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Mexico Theme Week.

Today's Organic 72% Dark Spicy Aztec Chocolate (bar) was made in Belgium for Belgium's Chocolate Source (Milton, MA). The company produces several Organic and Fair Trade Belgian chocolates (bars) under the Nirvana brand name.

Vanilla (from the Vanilla planifolia orchid plant) is probably the most popular floral flavor in chocolates. Vanilla and cacao are both native to the Americas; and evidence suggests that humans have been enjoying vanilla in cacao beverages for many centuries.*

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate (with very faint, fleeting managed earth); subtle warm spices (cinnamon), vanilla and faint nut (almond). A barely detectable chili flavor note added complementary warmth. 

This was a pleasant and appealing dark chocolate bar made with Trinitario cacao. I enjoyed the dark nutty flavor blend with authentic, subtle vanilla, cinnamon and chili (and nutmeg). The almonds and vanilla added a mellowness to the dark chocolate.

Only vanilla and chili would have been available to the early Maya and Aztec peoples, centuries ago, in what is now Mexico. Cinnamon arrived later (via Spain/Spanish trade routes), and (along with vanilla and chili) is now heavily associated with Mexican chocolate bars, beverages and confections.

Ingredients: "Dark Chocolate* (unsweetened chocolate, raw cane sugar, reduced fat cocoa powder, soy lecithin as an emulsifier), Almonds*, and Spice*."

Allergen-related information: "Contains Almonds, Soy (lecithin). (* = Organic). Manufactured on shared equipment in a facility that handles milk and other tree nuts." "Suitable for vegetarians. Gluten free."

*Vanilla is native to Mesoamerica. The Aztecs are thought to have picked up the practice of blending vanilla with their chocolate beverages from the Totonacs. (The Aztecs conquered in the 1400s). I don't know how long the Totonacs were enjoying these two items together, but it's safe to say that people have been enjoying cacao and vanilla together for at least 600 years in Central America.

 

Nirvana Belgian Chocolates - Organic Belgian Dark Chocolate candied ginger (bar) - March 7, 2020

Chocolate(s) of the Day:

Nirvana Belgian Chocolates
(Made in Belgium for Belgium's Chocolate Source)
Organic Belgian Dark Chocolate - candied ginger
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and West Africa Theme Week.

How do I know the chocolate in this Organic Belgian Dark Chocolate bar with candied ginger came from cacao grown in West Africa? I don't, but since there was no origin listed for this bar on the packaging (or to be found on the company website), I will assume there is a 75% - 80% chance that most of the cocoa beans used to make this bar came from either Ivory Coast, Ghana or Nigeria.*

After cocoa was brought from the New World to Africa for cultivation, European chocolate sellers were closer to the ingredients they needed for chocolate beverages (and later for bars and confections). As part of their colonial presence in Africa (Belgian Congo), Belgium became involved in West and Central African commodities centuries ago, including growing and importing cacao as well as rubber and other goods for profit.

Things have evolved in the past century since Belgium stepped out of their colonial position in 1960, and Belgium is still quite well-known for fine chocolate. And today, many Belgian chocolate makers (including Nirvana) sport a fair trade logo to convince chocolate buyers that farmers are receiving a fair price for their crops and that cocoa is "traded in compliance with Fairtrade Standards."

Yes, you may be thinking, but, how did today's bar taste?

Smooth, organic fair trade dark chocolate provided a solid, silent, natural partner for the bits of candied ginger which added a balanced sparkle and bit of sweet spiciness. This chocolate was made with fat-reduced cocoa powder. (Adding (lower acidity) cocoa powder can sometimes serve to mellow or even out chocolate flavors.) This attractively packaged bar was made in Belgium for Belgium's Chocolate Source (Milton, MA).

Claudio Corallo - Ubric Uvas ("drunk" grapes/raisins) in dark chocolate
I also re-tasted a unique, wonderful and flavorful "boozy" tasting chocolate from Claudio Corallo (Sao Tome and Principe) that I'd first sampled at Alegio Chocolate (at their Berkeley, CA location) back in 2014. This pricey chocolate was quite special. The chocolate, in bar form, was made using grapes/raisins and fermented cacao fruit distillate. I'd stored a bar of it back in the chocolate vault, and it had stayed perfectly fresh in a sealed foil package. (Corallo is also fond of chocolate with ginger.)

*According to a Statistica report (2020), titled "Cocoa beans: supplier companies to Belgium 2017" 64.6% of cocoa imported into Belgium in 2017 for chocolate making came from Ivory Coast, followed by 10.1% from Ghana, and 6.1% from Nigeria.* (Smaller percentages are listed for South American countries (Peru, Ecuador) and the Dominican Republic.)

Nirvana - Crispy Almonds bar + SOMA Gianduja drinking chocolate - Nov. 28, 2016

Chocolate(s) of the Day: 

Nirvana Belgian Chocolates
Organic Belgian Dark Chocolate
Crispy Almonds bar
Good++
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42.5 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

SOMA Chocolatemaker
Gianduja Roasted Hazelnut drinking chocolate
Good ++
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65 oz. (75 g.) in total package
Calories: 188 calories (estimate per label) in 1/2 package
Cost: $8.00 for 1 package
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate, Almonds and Hazelnuts Theme Week.

Squirrel haters should stop reading here; because I've dedicated today to these furry, nut-loving balls of mischief. Happily I may not be the only one who enjoys them. Both of today's chocolates have illustrations of squirrels on their packaging.

The first chocolate was a Crispy Almonds bar from Nirvana Belgium Chocolate (product of Belgium). The 72% cacao Organic dark chocolate base was sprinkled with a sea of caramelized almond bits. Thankfully, this well-tempered dark bar was smooth and rich, without being too sweet. The illustrated red squirrel with tufted ears in the branches of an almond tree (due to clever packaging design and cut-out above the bar) appeared to be dreaming of the chocolate and nuts inside.

SOMA Chocolatemaker (Toronto) goes one step farther, by stating its yummy Gianduja Roasted Hazelnut drinking chocolate was "approved by squirrels everywhere." That's good enough for me.

Mix a little hot water with the rich contents of this SOMA packet and you'll get a highly edible, velvety paste with concentrated chocolate hazelnut flavor that's worth sampling a la carte. And, if you must dilute it further to make a traditional cocoa, you might add some milk or cream.

However, I like the more concentrated version myself, and it's pictured here in a tiny, Italian-themed espresso cup with a Tasmanian Devil—the closest animal I had on hand that might convey a squirrel's crazy passion for almonds and hazelnuts (and chocolate* too if the truth be known).

*Rats, mice and squirrels are known to nibble on cacao pods, and chocolate and nuts if they can find them. They seem to have less trouble digesting/processing the theobromine in cacao/chocolate that upsets dogs, cats and other animals. Theobromine is an alkaloid that's a close cousin to caffeine.

Nirvana - Dark Chocolate dark cherries bar - June 7, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Nirvana Belgian Chocolates
Organic Belgian Dark Chocolate dark cherries bar
Good
Weight: .75 oz. (21.2 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 115 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

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

Today's Organic Belgian Dark Chocolate dark cherries bar from Nirvana Belgian Chocolate (Belgium) was more interesting on the back side, where there sat a collection of sweet, dark, dried (whole I think) cherries.*

This smooth 72% dark bar was "Made in Belgium with Love for Belgium's Chocolate Source" (Milton, MA in the U.S.).

The chocolate was created in Belgium from Organic and Fairtrade Certified (94.6%) ingredients. The bar was also gluten free.

The packaging was illustrated by a "wonderfully talented Boston artist," (no name listed). Garden gnomes were laboring under cherry tree branches, laden with spring blossoms, harvesting plump red cherries.

*Cherries contained cherries, apple juice concentrate and sunflower oil.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Nirvana - Organic Belgian Milk Chocolate sea salt and caramel bar - May 14, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nirvana Belgian Chocolates
Organic Belgian Milk Chocolate (sea salt and caramel) bar
Good
Weight: 1.5 oz. (43 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $5.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: SweetE Organic, Mill Valley, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Salted Caramel Theme Week.

Today's Organic Belgian Milk Chocolate (sea salt and caramel) bar, was festooned with a sea of caramel and sea salt pieces.

This Nirvana Belgian Chocolates bar was made in Belgium, with Organic and Fairtrade Certified ingredients, for Belgium's Chocolate Source (Milton, MA). Oh, did I mention this was Belgian chocolate?

Note: The bar contains glucose syrup, but is labeled as gluten-free. Glucose syrup can be made from corn, tapioca, potato, sorghum or wheat starch. However, even if made from wheat starch, this sweetener is fairly heavily processed, and the processing generally reduces any gluten to very low levels.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Nirvana - Pistachio, Almond, Walnut bar - Sept. 14, 2014

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nirvana Belgian Chocolates
72% Dark Chocolate with Pistachios, Almonds and Walnuts bar
Good+
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33.3 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) total bar
Calories: 184 calories (estimate) in 1/3 bar
Cost: $5.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Pistachio Theme Week.

Today's Nirvana Belgian Chocolates (Wellesley, MA) bar contained a long title: "72% Dark Chocolate with Pistachios, Almonds and Walnuts," and -- like most chocolates now -- many descriptors and adjectives.

This gluten-free, Non-GMO, organic, fair-trade chocolate bar also had an intriguing sweet nut flavor with a whisper of rice pudding spice (not quite cinnamon and not quite nutmeg, but something similar).

I've been commenting all week that the light, sweet pistachio flavor is all but lost when blended with chocolate. But, somehow this rice pudding flavor note seems to evoke a bit of the sweet nut flavor.

The primary ingredient -- organic cocoa mass -- originated from "fine flavor Trinitario cocoa beans" grown in the Dominican Republic. The cocoa was transported to Belgium to create a smooth, relatively mild but well executed final base chocolate for this bar.