The Organic House - Lavender & Maple 70% Cacao (bar) - June 22, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Lavender & Maple 70% dark chocolate (bar)
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 #3 of Chocolate and Floral Theme Week.  

Today's Lavender & Maple 70% dark chocolate (bar) was made by The Organic House (Burlington, ON, Canada). The company produces a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates--including many with flavor inclusions and/or maple sugar from Ontario, Canada.

The Bon Bulak cacao (from Kablon Farms) used to make this bar was from the Philippines.

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate; maple; and clean, faintly fragrant lavender.

Texture: broke with a well-tempered snap first thing in the morning (65 degrees F.), and was smooth and creamy when warmed to 70 degrees (F.). All flavor inclusions were completely incorporated into the 70% dark chocolate. There was no maple sugar or floral grit, or any off-putting or astringent components.

Flavor notes included: an elegant blend of dark chocolate with a wonderful, balanced flux of lavender floral, maple and refreshing sweet fruit (purple/red grape).

I really liked the complementary flux of high-quality flavors including the culinary lavender and the subtle petit verdot grape note. I appreciated the short list of quality and organic ingredients; and I enjoyed the maker's tagline: "Let your taste buds travel."

Maker's tasting notes: "Porcini, sage, lilac, petit verdot" (Petit verdot is a purple wine grape.)

Ingredients: Organic cacao beans, Ontario maple sugar, Organic maple sugar, Culinary lavender

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

Kasama Chocolate - Limited Release - Echague Isabela, Philippines, 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Jan. 21, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
Limited Release - Echague Isabela, Philippines, 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 162.5 calories in 1/2 bar (325 cals. in 1 bar)
Cost: $17.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama, online order

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and The Philippines Theme Week.

Today's Limited Release - Echague Isabela, Philippines, 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Aroma notes for this special chocolate included: dark chocolate with subtle fruit, almost floral/botanical, and butter notes.

Texture: smooth, creamy/buttery texture with a thick, luxe melt (in a cold room).

Flavor notes included: dark, buttery chocolate, with subtle, fleeting fruit (something green and very slightly tart-sweet, diffuse red fruit -- maybe apple); fleeting mild, "clean" (white) seed/nut (chestnut); and very faint earth. 

I enjoyed: 1.) the subtle intriguing flavor complexity (it felt like a game of hide and seek in a forest); 2.) the short list of quality, organic ingredients; and 3.) that it wasn't too sweet. 

Maker's tasting notes: "...smooth, creamy chocolate with notes of roasted chestnuts, Black Forest Cake and stout beer."

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

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

 

Oodaalolly - 55% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Mango (bar) - Jan. 20, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Oodaalolly
55% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Mango (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Oodaalolly, online order

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 55% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Mango (bar) was manufactured by Oodaalolly, A H&G (Richmond, CA), and was made with Philippine cacao.

Aroma notes for this bar included: smooth dark chocolate, subtle coconut (milk) and ripe fruit (mango).

This 55% coconut milk chocolate had rich, sweet chocolate-y flavor (high-end dark chocolate fudge sauce, ganache), and very slight tangy and earthy notes. 

Tiny clusters of mango pieces on the back of the bar added subtle, authentic tart-sweet mango flavor, and a bit of textural and visual interest. 

Maker's tasting notes "Savor the mellow sweetness of mango blended with our luscious coconut milk...a non-dairy delight."

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Dried Mango, Organic Coconut Milk Powder (Organic Coconut Milk, Organic Tapioca Maltodextrin, Organic Gum Acacia"

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

Oodaalolly - 50% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Sea Salt (bar) - Jan. 19, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Oodaalolly
50% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Sea Salt (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Oodaalolly, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 50% Premium Cacao Milk Chocolate with Sea Salt (bar) was manufactured by Oodaalolly, A H&G (Richmond, CA).

I enjoyed the smooth flavor in this 50% oat milk chocolate. It was rich and chocolate-y (high-end chocolate fudge sauce, ganache), but it wasn't too sweet (thank you). The sea salt and the oat milk (powder) helped balance the sweetness; and both harmonized well with the cacao. 

The oat powder was seamlessly integrated into the chocolate and added a very faint (almost undetectable) maltiness. And the tiny snowflakes of sea salt had a perfect texture and flavor.

Oodaalolly founder and chocolate maker Hernan Lauber has successfully delivered a blend of high-quality cacao (and short list of ingredients) with Swiss-style chocolate making techniques (smaller particle size, creamier texture, and relatively smooth flavors). 

This bar was well-balanced and smooth, yet also more flavorful than other 50% cacao bars and/or other most oat milk chocolates I've tried.

Maker's description: "This lush velvety bar is a love letter to my dual heritage, crafted with the finest  Philippine cacao using the Swiss chocolate making magic I learned from my father...Ilocano sea salt from the Pangasinan region has a unique crystal structure and minerality making it a culinary treasure of the Philippines..."

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter, Oat Powder, Sea Salt"

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

Oodaalolly - 70% Premium Cacao Dark Chocolate with Coconut Sugar (bar) - Jan. 18, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Oodaalolly, A H&G
70% Premium Cacao Dark Chocolate with Coconut Sugar (bar)
Good ++  
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 380 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $9.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Oodaalolly, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 70% Premium Cacao Dark Chocolate with Coconut Sugar (bar) was made by Oodaalolly, A H&G (Richmond, CA).

The sugar lent great, rich, nuanced sweetness. The taste wasn't maple sugar; it wasn't brown sugar...It was in its own class. And it harmonized very nicely with the 70% cacao dark chocolate.

I loved the sugar flavor; the balance of dark chocolate and sugar; and the short list of quality, organic ingredients. (I also found this bar to be mildly addictive.)

Maker's description: "Delicious 70% dark chocolate infused with the golden sweetness of coconut sugar from the Philippines..."

Ingredients: "Organic Cacao Nibs, Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter"

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

 

The Organic House - Philippines 100% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) - Jan. 17, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Philippines 100% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and the Philippines Week.

Today's Philippines 100% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar) was from The Organic House (Burlington, Ontario, Canada). 

Bon Bulak ("floral") refers to a micro-lot (of cacao) from Kablon Farms in South Cotabato, Davao, in the Philippines; and chocolates using this cacao origin have been created by several craft chocolate makers in the past year or so. Yesterday I featured a 70% cacao version of this cacao from the same maker.

Today's 100% bar included much fainter versions of the same aroma and flavor notes (that appeared in yesterday's 70% version): dark chocolate with faint fruit and floral, very subtle light molasses/brown sugar, and warm spice. Flavor notes also included deep, appealing chocolate-y notes and warm buttery umami (slightly sweet mushrooms in butter and green herbs (savory, mint family). 

The texture was very cocoa-buttery and smooth, with a pleasant creamy melt and mouthful. 

The difference was with no sugar, this chocolate was more bitter, and some of the bright/sweet fruit and buttery mushroom notes dropped out quite a bit--as did some of the flavors in the coconut blossom sugar. The (relatively earthier) mint herb notes were still intact. (Today's 100%er would be a great educational bar to pair with its 70% sibling as part of a tasting flight.)

Maker's tasting notes: "Porcini, sage, lilac, petit verdot (small red wine grape (slow to ripen), primarily from Bordeaux). Mellow earthy notes, with a smooth finish."

Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans, Organic cacao butter"

Allergen-related information: "May contain Almonds, Cashews, hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios"  

The Organic House - Philippines 70% Cacao, Bon Bulak (bar) - Jan. 16, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

The Organic House
Philippines 70% Cacao, Philippines Bon Bulak (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 392 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and the Philippines Week.

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

Bon Bulak ("floral") refers to a micro-lot (of cacao) from Kablon Farms in South Cotabato, Davao, in the Philippines. Kablon Farms, a bio (organic) grower, is producing some very tasty cacao--based on both yesterday's (Ritual Chocolate) and today's (The Organic House) bean-to-bar chocolates made with cacao grown there.

Aroma and flavor notes for today's 70% bar included: dark chocolate with faint fruit and floral, very subtle light molasses/brown sugar, and warm spice. Flavor notes also included deep, appealing chocolate-y notes and warm buttery umami (slightly sweet mushrooms in butter and green herbs (savory, mint family). 

Note: I like chocolates with umami flavors and/or coconut (flower nectar) sugar, so those flavors in today's balanced and subtlety complex chocolate was a bit of heaven for me.

Texture: smooth chocolate, and a pleasant creamy melt and mouthful. 

Maker's tasting notes: "Porcini, sage, lilac, petit verdot (small red wine grape (slow to ripen), primarily from Bordeaux). Mellow earthy notes, with a smooth finish."

Ingredients: "Organic cacao beans, Organic coconut flower nectar, Organic cacao butter"

Allergen-related information: "May contain Almonds, Cashews, hazelnuts, Oats, Pistachios" 

Ritual Chocolate - Limited Edition Philippines Kablon Farms 75% Cacao (bar) - Jan. 15, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Ritual Chocolate
Limited Edition Philippines Kablon Farms 75% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Ritual Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and The Philippines Week.

Today's Limited Edition Philippines Kablon Farms 75% Cacao (bar) was from Ritual Chocolate (Heber City, UT).

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate with very faint, diffuse fruit (dark red, ripe berry); forest (very faint woodsy/cedar/fir); nut (roasted peanuts with skins); and very faint (barely detectable) spice (black pepper, black licorice, star anise).

Texture: this was a relatively slim chocolate bar (all the better as it allows better, more immediate access to texture and flavors) that had a smooth chocolate bite and a creamy melt and mouthful. 

After enjoying a few weeks of chocolates with flavor inclusions, it was great to get back to a single origin bar (made with just three organic ingredients) where 100% of the focus was on this full-bodied cacao from the Philippines that had well-executed complexity.

Maker's tasting notes: "Kablon Farms...organic since the '90's and pioneers in fermentation.....Their beans topped our taste tests with rich, roasted peanut flavors..."

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

Allergen-related information: "May contain traces of Wheat, Tree Nuts and Soy"

Kasama Chocolate - The Endless Summer (Philippines cacao) (bar) - Jan. 14, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate

"The Endless Summer" - Seasonal Release 55% Chocolate with Coconut Milk and Saba Banana (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 329 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $13.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama Chocolate, online order

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

Today's "The Endless Summer" - Seasonal Release 55% Dark Chocolate with Coconut Milk and Saba Banana (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Tropical flavor inclusions and island origins are great for cold winter days. It was chilly outside today where I live; but this "Endless Summer" bar offered a welcome, virtual trip to the Philippines.

Aroma and flavor notes included: chocolate (dark ganache); sweet green (banana); and subtle, authentic coconut milk. 

There was also a faint and balanced fruit tanginess to this bar also; but it was hard to pin down whether it was coming from the cacao, the coconut milk, the banana or a combination of all the ingredients. In any case, it added a tiny bit of oomph to the overall taste. Not too tart or sour, but enough to add some interest--like a squirt of lime or lemon on a fruit salad.

Texture: The base chocolate had a creamy, almost silken, texture -- thanks to the combination of coconut milk and cocoa butter. 

The Saba* banana chips (pieces on the back of the bar) added subtle banana/plantain chip texture and flavor. The chips (a generous sprinkle of small, thin, crunchy pieces) were just right for my taste; and it was great to see a variety of banana that originated in the Philippines.

As with other Kasama Chocolate offerings, I appreciated the short list of quality ingredients. And I liked that the 55% cacao dark coconut milk bar had a richer, darker flavor (more like a 65%+ cacao dark chocolate) than some other dark milk chocolates.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans*, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Coconut Milk Powder*, Saba Banana Chips, Sea Salt" (* = Organic)

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

*The Saba banana is a triploid hybrid cultivar, that originated in the Philippines. It's used in cooking and eating fresh.

Kasama Chocolate - 55% Goat's Milk, Philippines (bar) - Jan. 13, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
55% Goat's Milk, Philippines (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 318 calories in 1 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 55% Goat's Milk, Philippines (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada).

Aroma notes included: smooth, dark milk chocolate with very faint, clean floral and light hay.

Texture: smooth dark milk chocolate with a clean, light mouthfeel and melt.

Flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate with a very small hint of goat milk (with no game-y or off notes). Think goat milk (metaphorically wrapped in freshly washed silk and) blended with rich cocoa.

Thank you to the makers for the short list of quality ingredients, and for the opportunity to try chocolates made with cacao from the Philippines.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, "Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Goat's Milk Powder (* = Organic) 

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

Theo & Philo - 65% Dark Chocolate with Labuyo Chili (bar) - Jan. 12, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Theo & Philo 
65% Dark Chocolate with Labuyo Chili (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 110 cals. for 20 g. serving
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

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

Today's 65% Dark Chocolate with Labuyo Chili (bar) was from Theo & Philo Chocolate Factory (Metro Manila, Philippines). 

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (ganache), and very faint red chili/bell pepper and even fainter brown sugar/maple syrup.

Texture: smooth texture, with a firm but creamy fudge aspect.

Flavor notes included: chocolate (dark, slightly fudge-y, ganache) with some heat from the Labuyo chili kicking in now and then.

I appreciated the short list of ingredients and overall flavor in this well-balanced bar. I also found it oddly addicting. 

The sweetness level was relatively high, but I enjoyed the brown sugar-like complexity that may have come with the choice of sugar.

Ingredients: "Cacao Beans, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chili"

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

*Labuyo chili (Capsicum frutescens 'Siling labuyo') is a small chili pepper cultivar that developed in the Philippines. The fruits and leaves are used in traditional Philippine cuisine. How hot is this pepper?  Approximately 80,000-100,000 Scoville units. (The hottest scoring chili peppers in the world (so-called "super hots") can score over 1,000,000 units.) 

Kasama Chocolate - 57% Earl Grey Tea, Philippines (bar) - Jan. 11, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
57% Earl Grey Tea, Philippines (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 157 calories in 1/2 bar (314 cals. in 1 bar)
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama, online order

Welcome to Day #17 of Chocolate, Tea, Herbs and Spices Theme Week, and Day #3 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week.

Today's 57% Earl Grey Tea, Philippines (bar) was created by Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada). The company offers a variety of bars made using cacao from the Philippines*-- and you'll see at least four of these bars featured this week.

Aroma and flavor notes include fragrant bergamot (floral, citrus); dark milk chocolate (cocoa, ganache); and smooth, satisfying and sweet tea latte.

Texture: smooth, with a very slight (authentic) black tea astringency in the finish. Extra points for providing a full Earl Grey tea experience. 

I really enjoyed "sipping" (savoring small bites of) this tea-inspired chocolate. This bar would be a great gift for (or to share with) chocolate and Earl Grey tea fans.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, "Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Whole Milk Powder, Earl Grey Tea" (* = organic) 

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

*One of the founders has roots, and family, in the Philippines. 

Kasama Chocolate - Tanduay Rum 75% Cacao Barrel Aged Dark Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 2, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
Tanduay Rum 75% Cacao Barrel Aged Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 166.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $19.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Intrigue Chocolate, online order

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

Today's Tanduay Rum 75% Cacao Barrel Aged Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, B.C., Canada).  

This Special Release bean-to-bar chocolate was made using cacao beans and rum from the Philippines.

These roasted cacao beans (broken into pieces, aka nibs) were aged with Tanduay Gold Philippine Rum*. The nibs were then "dried and stone ground to create a rich, dark chocolate with tropical notes of coconut, caramel cream and hints of spice and sandalwood..."

I didn't pick up all these notes, but it was still a very enjoyable tasting experience. Aroma and flavor notes I experienced included: smooth dark chocolate and subtle, sweet spirits (rum) and subtle green/botanical/floral (orchid) and very faint cookie (brown sugar, rum).

Texture: smooth, creamy chocolate-y with a pleasing melt and mouthfeel.

I enjoyed the subtle, smooth flavor and natural sweetness in this chocolate. The choice of 75% cacao dark chocolate seemed perfect. (A 70% cacao version might have tasted too sweet, and might have made the already subtle flavor notes too subtle--for a bar where I want to enjoy the taste imparted by the spirits.) 

Like yesterday's Kasama Single Malt Canadian Whisky bar (with bolder flavors), today's rum bar might be a great bar to share with friends and family over the holidays, and would be a nice winter warmer. (Both could be part of a chocolate and spirits (side-by-side) tasting flight.)

Ingredients: Tanduay Gold Rum Aged Cacao Nibs, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter* (* = Organic)  

Allergen-related information: None listed, except "Made in a facility that contains nuts."

*"In 1854, a distillery was built on Isla De Tanduay, a small piece of land bordering the Quiapo & San Miguel districts in Manila." (It became most well known for its rum.)

Kasama Chocolate - 65% Kape Espresso (bar) - Oct. 1, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Kasama Chocolate
65% Kape Espresso (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 162.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Kasama Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 65% Kape Espresso (bar) from Kasama Chocolate (Vancouver, BC, Canada) was made with Kape Philippine Coffee Beans. 

The Tagalog (Filipino) word Kasama (togetherness, friendship, camaraderie, collaboration) aptly describes Kasama and its four founders. The company makes bean-to-bar chocolate and truffles using cacao from the Philippines and flavor inclusions from both the Philippines and the Pacific Northwest.

Aroma notes included: strong coffee (espresso), chocolate, faint dried fruit (date sugar), and even fainter green (botanical) syrup.

Texture: smooth, uniform, with very slight graininess/astringency.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate with bold, balanced, dark roast espresso coffee. The dark chocolate was more apparent in the taste than in the aroma; but the espresso still ruled the roost.

I appreciated tasting this single origin bean-to-bar chocolate, where both cacao beans and coffee beans came from the Philippines.* The sweetness (provided by unrefined cane sugar) tasted natural and balanced the bold espresso flavor.

Maker's notes: "...synthesis of cacao & coffee beans yields notes of dates, roasted chestnuts, & Muscovado sugar."

Ingredients: Cacao Beans*, Unrefined Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*, Kape Philippine Coffee Beans (* Organic)

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

*Maker's coffee origin description: The roasted coffee beans came from "Iona & Paolo at Kape Coffee. This semi-washed coffee is grown in the highlands of Bansalan, by award-winning coffee grower, Ate Marivic, part of a farmer owned co-operative in Davao del Sur."

Auro Chocolate - Mocha Crunch 55% Dark Chocolate with Arabica Coffee (bar) - Oct. 1, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Auro Chocolate
Mocha Crunch 55% Dark Chocolate with Arabica Coffee (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 163 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and the Philippines Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week. 

Today's Mocha Crunch 55% Dark Chocolate with Arabica Coffee (bar) was produced by Auro Chocolate (Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines).

Aroma and flavor notes for this Mocha (bar) included: Rich dark chocolate; fragrant, freshly ground coffee; very faint sweet green botanical and red berry; and a slightly creamy nut butter finish.

The texture was a blend of smooth dark chocolate and crunchy bits of coffee bean.

This sweet chocolate (sugar was the number one ingredient), was balanced by the rich, nuanced dark flavors of high-quality cacao and coffee.

Ingredients: Cane sugar, cacao mass, cacao butter, Arabica coffee, soy lecithin (emulsifier)

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."

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory Inc. - 90% Dark Chocolate Philippines (bar) - Sept. 30, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory Inc. 
90% Dark Chocolate Philippines (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 250 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $6.52 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's 90% Dark Chocolate Philippines (bar) was manufactured by Theo and Philo Chocolate Factory Inc. (Valenzuela City, Metro Manila, Philippines), using cacao grown in the Philippines.

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and subtle fruit (dark, sweet cherry, peach, mango).

The texture was thick and smooth.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (ultra-dark, dark chocolate cake with bittersweet chocolate frosting). Yes there was bitterness, but it was tolerable and it didn't block the appealing rich dark chocolate cake flavor. The maker's notes (below) may sound frightening, but (dark mythical creatures not withstanding) it rings true." The ultra-dark bitterness does not stop you from wanting to taste that chocolate cake and faint fruit.

Maker's tasting notes/description: "Black as midnight on a moonless night when aswangs* and manananggals* roam free, this chocolate bar makes true chocolate lovers quiver with glee. The bold yet delightful bitterness that is accompanied by a delicate fruitiness is enough to make the toughest man scream in relish--just ask your friendly neighborhood tikbalangi.*

Ingredients: Cacao beans, Sugar

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a facility that also processes peanuts and other tree nuts."

*Aswangs are evil, shape-shifting creatures in Filipino folk culture. Manananggals are vampire-like creatures that can separate their upper bodies from their lower bodies. And a tikbalang is a half human-half horse creature, similar to a centaur in Greek mythology.

Ranger Chocolate Co. - Kablon Philippines Dark Chocolate 75% (bar) - Sept. 29, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Ranger Chocolate Co.

Kablon Philippines Dark Chocolate 75% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 2.25 oz. (64 g.) in total bar
Calories: 349 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Philippines Theme Week, featuring several chocolate bars made from cacao grown in the Philippines.

Today's Kablon Philippines Dark Chocolate 75% (Batch 1) (bar) was distributed by Ranger Chocolate Co. (Portland, OR). Kablon Farms (Davao, Philippines)-- owned by the Pantua family--grows a mix of Criollo variety cacao and more modern cacao hybrids.

Aroma and flavor notes included: bold, balanced drinking chocolate with a very faint (and well balanced) bitterness; very diffuse sweet fruit(s); subtle spices (warm spices, star anise); and very faint molasses cookie. The texture was smooth. 

I appreciated the well-executed complexity in this flavorful dark chocolate.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "graham cracker, cinnamon, nutmeg, molasses, peanut butter"

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic sugar 

Allergen-related information: Manufactured in a facility that uses gluten, egg, milk, and tree nut ingredients. ("Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Nut Free")

Puchero - Philippines 75% Mana Single Origin (bar) - Sept. 28, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Puchero 
Philippines 75% Mana Single Origin (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.2 oz. (35 g.) / 2.4 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 207.5 calories for 1/2 bar 593 calories in 100 g of bar 
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Philippines 75% Mana Single Origin (bar) was made from bean-to-bar by Puchero* (Valladolid, Spain).

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark chocolate (rich drinking chocolate with a light, balanced bitterness); tropical fruit (sweet, ripe mango; mangosteen); very faint fermentation (fruit, red wine grape); faint, fleeting spice (black pepper); and very faint white floral (orchid).

This upbeat, flavorful dark chocolate reminded me of a festive glass of dark sangria with tropical fruits. It was a celebration of single origin, Trinitario (cacao variety) flavor. I associate Trinitario with its bright fruit flavors. The Mana cacao (from the Philippines, used to make today's chocolate) "consists of 5 selected Trinitario varieties."** 

Maker's tasting notes: "A bright and balanced profile with a cascade of flavours: tropical fruit, bergamot and fresh flowers."

Ingredients: Cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cacao butter.

Allergen-related information: May contain traces of nuts, milk and gluten

*Tostarix S.L. (Spain)

**Trinitario cacao(s)--thought to be a cross of Forastero and Criollo cacaos--have some of the boldness of a Forastero, but with bright/tart fruit and sometimes other nuanced (stone fruit, gentler, honied) notes of a Criollo heritage variety cacao. 

 

Auro Chocolate - Regalo Single Variety 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 27, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Auro Chocolate
Regalo Single Variety 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 330 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $8.55 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's limited edition Regalo Single Variety 50% chocolate (bar) was produced by Auro Chocolate* (Calamba City, Laguna, Philiippines).

Aroma and flavor notes for this single origin (Davao City) and single variety bar included: dark milk chocolate (cocoa, ganache); sweet, delicate floral-botanical; diffuse fruit (green apple, faint date/molasses; sweet, mild tangerine and tropical fruit (mango)); faint spice; and very faint fleeting vegetable (potato chip).

This 50% milk chocolate had a complex, lightly fruity character. The texture was uniform and smooth and became creamier upon melting. The pleasant, complex flavors made this an enjoyable and accessible chocolate. The choice of a partially processed/unrefined (muscovado) cane sugar contributed additional flavor depth (faint molasses). There was a very mild fruit astringency in the finish.

Maker's tasting notes: "Our Reserve Collection is passionately crafted from the finest beans of a single harvest to bring out the rare, distinctive characteristics of each community and their land. Located in the lush tropical forests of Davao, the Regalo variety has notes of green apple, green tea (and) pine wood."

Ingredients: Cacao mass, organic muscovado sugar, full cream milk powder, cacao butter, skim milk powder

Allergen-related information: Contains milk. This product is manufactured in a facility that processes other products which may contain soy, tree nuts and peanuts. Halal. Gluten Free.

*dba Filipinas Oro de Cacao, Inc. (Cuidad De Calamba, Barangay Punta, Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines

 

Auro Chocolate - Luna Single Variety 50% Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 26, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Auro Chocolate
Luna Single Variety 50% Chocolate (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 330 calories (estimate) in 1 bar
Cost: $8.55 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

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

Today's Luna Single Variety 50% chocolate (bar) was produced by Auro Chocolate* (Calamba City, Laguna, Philiippines).

Aroma and flavor notes included: dark milk chocolate, sweet, delicate floral-botanical; diffuse fruit (berry, faint date, and very faint pomegranate molasses; sweet, mild tangerine, grenache grape); and very faint fleeting vegetable (potato chip).

This 50% milk chocolate was very pleasing. The texture was uniform and smooth and became creamier upon melting. The flavors were very pleasant and with a lot of gentle complexity. The choice of a partially processed/unrefined (muscovado) cane sugar contributed additional flavor depth (faint molasses).

Ingredients: Cacao mass, organic muscovado sugar, full cream milk powder, cacao butter, skim milk powder

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

*dba Filipinas Oro de Cacao, Inc. (Cuidad De Calamba, Barangay Punta, Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines