Chocolate Tree - Hazelnut Gianduja 40% Bean to Bar (bar) - May 15, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolate Tree
Hazelnut Gianduja 40% Bean to Bar (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 191 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Dispensary, online order

Bacio di Latte Gelateria
2 flavors: Giandujotto (Hazelnut & Chocolate) + Caffe & Caramellatte (Coffee & Caramel)
Good+ - ++
Weight: Unknown (1 grande cup with 2 flavors)

Calories: Unknown
Cost: $11.95 for 1 grande (large) cup

Purchased from: Bacio di Latte Gelateria

Welcome to Day #14 of Chocolate & Colombia Week, and Day #3 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

I celebrated today with two creamy hazelnut items--a bar crafted with Colombian cacao and two scoops of gelato: a gianduja flavor and a coffee + caramel flavor.

Hazelnut Gianduja 40% Bean to Bar (bar)

This Gianduja 40% bar was from Knowes Farm in Scotland. 

The heirloom cacao used to make this bar was from Colombia. "The roasted hazelnuts were stoneground together with rare ancestral cacao from the Arhuaco indigenous community of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Colombia."

Aroma and flavor notes included: sweet, soft chocolate with creamy, fully incorporated hazelnuts. 

The texture was indeed creamy and almost velvety soft. But the chocolate was firm enough to maintain a beautiful interlocking bird pattern on one side of the bar (from the chocolate mould (mold) that shaped it).

I loved the appearance of this bar and subtle flavors in this rich, sweet gianduja confection of a bar. I was surprised it did not contain milk, given the ultra-smooth, creamy texture.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Hazelnuts, Toffee, Sesame. Pair with: Prosecco, Fresh Bread."

Ingredients: Organic Hazelnuts (30%), organic cocoa beans, organic sugar, organic cocoa butter.

Allergen-related information: Contained Hazelnuts. "Dairy is used in our factory." 

Bacio di Latte Gelateria

And to fulfill the "coffee" portion of the overlapping Colombia and Coffee theme weeks today, I visited a newly opened gelateria in Palo Alto, CA. This was the first location in the San Francisco Bay Area for this Brazilian gelato brand.

I tried two of their flavors: Chocolate Hazelnut -- creamy chocolate and gianduja flavors with whole hazelnuts -- and Coffee and Caramel gelato that had pleasing coffee caramel latte flavor. 

Their gelato was sweet (as expected), smooth and balanced with authentic, Italian flavors. 

Origen Cacao - 75% Ywawika dark chocolate (bar) - May 4, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Origen Cacao 
75% Ywawika dark chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 115 calories (per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $30.00 for a 6-bar variety pack
Purchased from: Origen Cacao, online

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

Today's 75% Ywawika dark chocolate (bar) from Origen Cacao was "handcrafted in small batches" at the company's factory in San Roque, Antioquia (Colombia). The company name encompasses nested origin stories.

The name of today's bar: Ywawika refers to an indigenous-operated brand that represents the Arhuaco people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta--a mountainous region in northern Colombia that rises steeply from the Caribbean coast. (The Arhuaco were one of at least four indigenous peoples in Colombia prior to the arrival of the Spanish.) Ywawika offers eco-tours and opportunities to see cacao trees in their native habitat.

Cacao cultivation likely began in Colombia further south in the rainforests of the Amazon River basin 1,000s of years ago. However, cacao traveled to many other regions and was traded and treated as a currency. And the coastal regions also have a long history with cacao. 

Aroma and notes for today's 75% dark chocolate included: chocolate, fruit (faint cacao fruit/pulp, tropical fruits), nuts, spices (cinnamon, anise). (Note: There were no nut ingredients listed for this bar.)

This relatively mild dark chocolate, low in bitterness and relatively low in acidity.

Texture: well-tempered bar that felt relatively light (in weight), and broke with a very slightly brittle snap; smooth, dark chocolate with an even melt and mouthfeel.

I enjoyed the mild, aromatic complexity as well as the relatively mild flavor (with low bitterness and acidity). And I appreciated the short list of authentic and organic ingredients in this bar. The cacao origin story was also interesting.

Ingredients: "Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter" 

Allergen-related information: None found on packaging. 

Chocolarder - Gold Frankincense & Myrrh chocolate 72% (bar) - Mar. 14, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Chocolarder
Gold Frankincense & Myrrh chocolate 72% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.24 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 196 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Gold Theme Week.

Today's Gold Frankincense & Myrrh 72% chocolate (bar) was from Chocolarder (Falmouth, Cornwall, U.K.).

This seasonal bar was made from bean-to-bar using Peruvian cacao, tree resins from the province of Kenitra in Morocco, and gold leaf. 

For all its shimmering beauty, gold is an inert element that imparts no flavor that I'm aware of. However, this dark chocolate was dressed for an evening out, with sparkling flecks of gold (very thin gold leaf/foil pieces) carefully placed in a chocolate mold so that on the finished bar, the gold pieces adorned the company name ("Chocolarder") and some cocoa pods.* 

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth dark chocolate; faint diffuse fruit (mild citrus (sweet orange or mild tangerine); and pine or herb-like, aromatic resins (frankincense and myrrh). There was also a very faint (barely detectable but pleasing) cherry cola with sweet herbs soda note in the finish.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Warming aromas of orange and pine needle with undertones of red fruit and green apple."

Ingredients: "Cocoa beans, unrefined raw sugar, cocoa butter infused with Frankincense and Myrrh, 23ct gold leaf"

Allergen-related information: "Made in a factory that also handles dairy and tree nuts."

*Typically flavor inclusions are sprinkled on the "back" of a bar, and it was impressive to have all these elements present on one side. Extra luxe (and extra time and care too I imagine).

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" 

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.)

Goodnow Farms Chocolate - Dark Chocolate El Carmen with Coffee Crunch 69% (bar) - Sept. 25, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Goodnow Farms Chocolate
Dark Chocolate El Carmen with Coffee Crunch 69% Cacao (bar)
Good +++ 
Weight: .97 oz. (27.5 g.) / 1.94 oz. (55 g.) in total bar
Calories: 135 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $17.00 for 1 bar (when bought in a 3-bar Coffee bundle)
Purchased from: Goodnow Farms Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Maker's Choice Dark Chocolate El Carmen with Coffee Crunch Nicaragua 69% Cacao (bar) was from Goodnow Farms Chocolate (Sudbury, MA). Both cacao and coffee beans used to make this single origin bar hailed from Nicaragua.

Aroma notes included: very inviting dark chocolate and coffee.

Texture: smooth, fudge-y, creamy dark chocolate with finely ground bits of (very slightly gritty, crunchy) coffee.

Flavor notes included: rich dark chocolate (dark chocolate fudge, true chocolate-y) infused with just the right amount of coffee (not too much, not too little) so that the chocolate was still the primary focus. The cacao and the coffee were neither too acidic nor too bitter. 

I appreciated the thoughtful execution and moderate sweetness level. (There was enough sugar to please those who don't care for black coffee, but not enough to muffle flavors that ultra-dark fans appreciate.)

Maker's description: "...premium single origin Nicaraguan cacao with finely ground single origin coffee from Nicaragua's El Recreo Estate for this crunchy celebration of Nicaraguan flavor."

Ingredients: Single Origin Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Single Origin Cocoa Butter, Single Origin Coffee

Allergen-related information: "May contain trace amounts of peanuts and tree nuts." ("Soy Free, Vegan, Gluten Free")

Public Chocolatory - Dark Chocolate with Ginseng (bar) & Oat "Milk" Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 7, 2024

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Public Chocolatory

70% Cacao Dark Chocolate with Ginseng (bar)
Good +++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $21.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

55% Cacao Dark Milk Oat bar
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 199 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $18.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Horses Theme Week, with items ranging from chocolate ponies and horseshoe novelty chocolate confections to bean-to-bar chocolates.

Both today's 70% Dark Chocolate with Ginseng bar and 55% Chocolate with Oats bar were from Public Chocolatory, a small batch bean-to-bar chocolate maker in South Korea (Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea). 

The company's founder and head chocolate maker Emily Paek works with local farmers in the Chuncheon area that grow potential flavor additions, e.g. high-quality gingseng.

Dark Chocolate with Gingseng bar

The 70% Dark Gingseng bar cover art showed a woman galloping on a horse toward dark green (forested) mountains in the distance. And the 55% Dark Oat bar showed a woman seated at an easel in the middle of a field of oats peacefully painting the fields, birds in the air, and a house in the distance. These two illustrations conveyed characters on a journey. The horse was perhaps a nod to tradition.

The complex and intriguing aroma for this dark chocolate was lovely -- herbal (licorice) and forest notes (deep dark pine forest with an uplifting, almost sweet, woody note).

The flavor captured all of the above--and revealed a few more sweet woodsy, earth, root and spice notes.

The texture was smooth, almost silken, with a slightly hearty, even melt. 

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cacao Butter, Korean Wild Gingseng

Chocolate with Oats bar

The aroma and flavor of authentic and subtle oat, oatstraw/sweet hay and tea notes were fully incorporated into this very slightly lighter-hued chocolate. And these lovely grain-related notes persisted into the finish. It was a high-end version of an oat "milk" chocolate bar.

This Oat bar had the same smooth, polished, even texture that the Gingseng bar had.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cacao Butter, Oats

Both bars were thoughtfully and skillfully executed, and galloping with charm and local authentic Korean flavors. 

Lonohana Estate Chocolate - 67% Dark with Nibs and Sea Salt (bar) - Jan. 26, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Lonohana Estate Chocolate
67% Dark with Nibs & Sea Salt (bar)
Very Good 
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: Part of a $45.00 USD Island Flavors bundle (four different bars)
Purchased from: Lonohana website, online order

Aloha; and welcome to Day #26 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week(s).

Today's 67% Dark with Nibs & Sea Salt (bar) was made by Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC (Honolulu, HI). 

Aroma notes included: rich, dark and seductive single origin chocolate (ultra dark chocolate brownie cookie and sweet green botanical aspects (cane syrup, green fig, rainforest with a waterfall, sweet green nut)), and very faint fleeting mocha.

Texture: This was a very well-executed blend of opposites: smooth and crunchy, sweet and salty, and smooth yet divinely intense.

The cacao nibs on the back side were uniform, and relatively small in size ensuring a pleasurable and delicious crunchy chocolate experience (with zero "off" flavors or funky nibs). The salt was also perfectly deployed, allowing for small, very gentle waves of sea salt. (It brought back memories of an ocean swim in Hawaii.)

The base chocolate had a smooth, uniform melt and texture, with a fleeting, very mild, very well balanced cacao bean/nib flavor (very delicate cacao bitter/nutty astringency) in the finish. 

Flavor notes included: delicious, well-executed, full cacao (nibs and chocolate) tasting experience in one bar, with some green, botanical notes (mentioned in aroma notes, above). High-quality, perfectly balanced flavors, in harmonious gentle flux.

Lonohana maker's description:

"From the fertile soils of the Big Island, the cacao for this bar grows a full three degrees further south towards the equator than our estate on Oahu. The soil and weather differences between the two islands give each their own unique characteristics. We sprinkle Alaea sea salt from Moloka'i and gently roasted chopped cacao nibs on the back of our 67% dark chocolate. It is a crunchy, salty, creamy and perfectly instense chocolate bar."

What I loved about this bar: 1.) rich dark chocolate and cocoa nib flavors and maker's roast (gently roasted nibs) and other choices; 2.) well executed crunchy nib size, taste and texture; 3.) perfect amount of sea salt that harmonized perfectly with the chocolate and make this bar slightly addicting; and 4.) the overwhelming joy and "transportation" (to an island rainforest/cacao plantation) that only a few of the very best (single origin) chocolates provide.

Ingredients: "Big Island cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, Moloka'i Alaea sea salt (and) roasted cocoa nibs"

Allergen-related information: "Soy and gluten free. Made in a peanut-free environment by Lonohana Estate Chocolate, LLC...") 

Bonus Entry - Homemade Bean to Confection Chocolate - Dec. 2023

Chocolate of the Month

Tropical Fruit Box
The Chocolatier's Apprentice Box
Ecuador Homemade Bean to Bar Chocolate
Good ++
Weight: .7 oz. (19.8 g.) (estimate) for 2 chocolates
Calories: 108.5 calories (estimate) in 2 chocolates
Cost: N/A - Christmas gift from family - 1 complete kit/box with 6 large cacao pods
Purchased from: Tropical Fruit Box, online order (Thank you Megan!)

Welcome to a chocolate bonus entry that spanned most of December 2023. How is that possible?

Today's weeks-long chocolate experience was made possible by the Chocolatier's Apprentice Box available from Tropical Fruit Box (Miami, FL). There were opportunities to sample cacao fruit, cacao beans and nibs, and finished chocolate over a period of almost three weeks.

The boxed kit included: six, generously sized cocoa pods (grown in Ecuador); great directions for the step-by-step chocolate making process; and a small silicon mold for chocolates. (Note: some pods may arrive slightly riper than others.)

The first part of this edible experience came after the unboxing, and cutting open real cacao pods (from Ecuador). Few people in the U.S. have seen cacao trees or fruit, outside of Hawaii or perhaps South Florida.*

I loved tasting the cream-colored cacao fruit pulp inside these pods that covered the core of cacao seeds (beans) used to make chocolate. The ripe fruit had luscious peach and melon flavors. 

The next steps: fermenting, roasting (which filled the kitchen with a delightful chocolate aroma) and cracking/winnowing. 

The next tasting opportunity involved sampling the roasted nibs. And, finally, days later, cocoa butter was blended with ground seeds (beans), and pouring chocolate into molds to firm up into the final chocolates. These confections were enjoyed over this past (Christmas) week. 

This Apprentice Box provided a great learning experience. Experiencing how much work goes into making chocolate from bean-to-bar may increase your appreciation for chocolate makers (who make chocolate from scratch) as well as the chocolates.

Ingredients: Cocoa Pods + other ingredients along the way.

*Hawaii is the U.S. State with the largest commercial cacao plantations/farms. South Florida, slightly north of the ideal equatorial cacao growing belt (20 degrees (Latitude) north and/or south of the Equator) occasionally experiences cold snaps, as well as tropical storms, perhaps limiting reliable production. The Hawaiian Islands range from 19 - 22 degrees from the Equator. (Miami is located at approximately 25.6 degrees North of the Equator.)

Pinwheel Craft Chocolate - 62% Coconut "Milk" Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania (bar) - Nov. 11, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Pinwheel Craft Chocolate
62% Coconut "Milk" - Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 163 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Pinwheel Craft Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 62% Coconut "Milk" Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania (bar) was from Pinwheel Chocolate LLC (Eagle Mountain, UT). This bean-to-bar chocolate maker "started as a mother/daughter hobby..." Happily for us, this hobby morphed into a small business.

Aroma notes for this bar included: smooth dark chocolate; faint, butter-diffused, warm, woodsy spice; faint red berry; and very faint coconut milk/coconut milk chocolate.

This 62% chocolate had a smooth melt, and a creamy, almost silken mouthfeel and texture. The coconut was fully incorporated into the chocolate. (Not one small chewy coconut shred was detected.)

Flavor notes included: flavorful, sweet then bittersweet dark chocolate; red berry; and very faint authentic coconut. This chocolate had a very satisfying, ("single origin-y"* chocolate-y) finish.

I loved the well-balanced complexity (and harmony of flavors) in this bar, and the fact that it wasn't overly sweet. Most 62% cacao chocolates taste quite a bit sweeter. Unfortunately, that often means that sugar (or sugar and milk(s)) eclipse cacao flavor nuances that may be present. Today's coconut milk bar was neither too sugary, nor overly coconut-y; and it embraced the red berry and rich notes of the Tanzania cacao. It tasted like a naturally sweetened chocolate with much to share.

Maker's tasting notes ("What we taste"): "ripe red raspberries, coconut water, (sometimes cinnamon)" "This bar is also a chameleon -- after certain foods, it has the unmistakable flavor of sweet cinnamon."**

Ingredients: Cacao beans*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*, coconut* (*Organic ingredients)

Allergen-related information: "Made on shared equipment that processes nuts and dairy."

*Single origin chocolates tend to have richer, more unadulterated flavors. And small batch single origin chocolate makers are more likely to want to preserve (and highlight) unique, multi-layered varietal flavors. A big thank you to these makers.

**I later re-tasted this bar with bourbon pecan ice cream and that muted spice note detected in the aroma came into greater focus; and sure enough it was cinnamon.

Mutari Chocolate - Tranquilidad, Heirloom, Wild Bolivia 72% (bar) - Nov. 4, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Mutari Craft Chocolate
(White Label/Single Origin Chocolate)
Tranquilidad, Heirloom, Wild Bolivia 72% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 178 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $ Missing information
Purchased from: Mutari Chocolate, Santa Cruz, CA

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

Today's White Label Tranquilidad, Heirloom, Wild Bolivia 72% (bar) was from Mutari Craft Chocolate (Santa Cruz, CA). 

The Beniano cacao used to make this bar was from the Tranquilidad Forest Estate, managed by Volker Lehmann, in the Beni Department of northern Bolivia.*

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: naturally sweet, pleasing cocoa, very faint molasses, very faint dried fruit (raisin, peach), and ultra faint graham cracker.

This well-tempered bar had a smooth texture and a creamy melt and mouthfeel.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (smooth, rich chocolatey, (warm cocoa, brownie)) with naturally sweet notes (very faint honey, sweet molasses, very faint sweet nut); and very faint dried, iron-rich fruit (raisin, dried plum). 

This chocolate had a very pleasing, nuanced, chocolate-y flavor. It possessed a rich aroma and flavor complexity, while also being relatively low in bitterness. The choice of 72% cacao seemed just right.

Today's Tranquilidad Heirloom Wild Bolivia chocolate (made with rare Beniano beans**) reminded me of other Criollo/heritage cacao-based chocolate bars: subtle, rich, layered flavors that were gentle, but transporting. 

Chocolates made with heirloom and heritage cacao beans make up a small fraction of the world's bars. Many thanks to all those who were part of growing the cacao, bringing the cacao to market, and making and distributing this special, small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Raisin, Tabacco, Nutty, Chocolate Base"

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Organic Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter

Allergen-related information: 

*Bolivia is about the size of Texas and California combined, and cacao growing regions are often in very remote areas. The Beni Department alone (in northern Bolivia) is close to the size of the Western U.S. State of Idaho.

** Beniano cacao is grown in the Beni Department of northern Bolivia, adjacent to wild forests of cacao that date back thousands of years. Evidence to date (2015 study) has suggested that wild cacao trees first evolved in present day South America approximately 10 million years ago--long before the first humans arrived. 

Solstice Chocolate - 70% Tranquilidad Dark Chocolate (bar) - Nov. 3, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Solstice Chocolate
70% Tranquilidad Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Solstice Chocolate, online order

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

Today's 70% Tranquilidad Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Solstice Chocolate, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT). 

The cacao used to make this bar was grown in northern Bolivia, and likely from Hacienda Tranquilidad. Some very wonderful wild heirloom and/or single estate cacaos grow in this area.

Aroma and notes included: smooth dark chocolate; diffuse fruits (very faint honeyed mango, raisin); and faint brown sugar/molasses.

The texture was smooth with a creamy melt and mouthfeel.

Flavor notes for this naturally sweet 70% dark chocolate included: smooth dark chocolate, faint cream and very faint brown sugar/molasses. There was a small uptick in bright, diffuse fruitiness (subtle fruit acidity) in the middle, followed by a creamy, chocolate-y finish.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Honey, Cream, Molasses"

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter

Allergen-related information: "Processed in a tree nut, gluten, dairy and soybean free facility."

Luisa's - Philippines 92% Cacao (bar) - Apr. 30, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Vegan Chocolates by Luisa Ltd.
Philippines 92% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 148 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $13.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Covered, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and the Philippines Theme Week. 

Today's Philippines 92% Cacao (bar) was handcrafted and made from bean to bar at Vegan Chocolates by Luisa Ltd. (Nottingham, UK).

Aroma notes included: light molasses fig cookie, faint sweet green, sweet lemon and chocolate. A faint fermented fruit (light citrus and buttery stone fruit (peach, nectarine)) mellowed after opening; i.e. the faint fermented note tapered off* and the buttery, nectarine pie note remained.

This very thick bar was naturally sweet (fig/date, peach/nectarine, lemon and honey) and relatively low in bitterness for a high-percentage (92% cacao) chocolate. 

It tasted like a blend of Criollo (heritage) and Trinitario cacao varieties. There was one small uptick of slightly bitter earth, but otherwise everything was smooth sailing. 

Maker's chocolate tasting notes: Yellow fruits, spicy, brown fruits 

Ingredients: Cacao mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: (No allergens listed.) (Vegan)

*Chocolate in a well-sealed pouch/package may sometimes have a lingering fermentation aroma when first opened. Leaving the freshly opened package open to the air for a few hours usually causes fermentation notes to diminish, or even disappear. However, don't wait too long, as some volatile, more delicate, desirable and interesting notes (e.g. florals) may escape as well.

Fu Wan Chocolate - Taiwan #1 Ping Tung Chocolate 85% (bar) - Jan. 25, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Fu Wan Chocolate
Taiwan #1 Ping Tung Chocolate 85% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .795 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.59 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1/2 bar 
Cost: $13.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to the first day of Chocolate and Tea Week.

Today's Taiwan #1 Ping Tung 85% (bar) was from Fu Wan Chocolate (located in Ping Tung (aka Pingtung) County, in southern Taiwan, R.O.C.).

The company makes a variety of bean-to-bar chocolates featuring local ingredients. These include tree-to-bar chocolates made using local cacao from southern Taiwan. Other chocolates have infused tea or spice flavor inclusions.

Aroma notes in today's single origin (tree-to-bar) chocolate included: chocolate (cocoa, lightly roasted coffee), faint brown sugar/molasses, fruit (goji berry, faint raisin), and green (very light algae) notes. 

This relatively thick 85% bar had smooth, uniform texture and a very light, faint (fruit) astringency. Each bite yielded rich, deep cacao flavor, and notes that mirrored aroma notes mentioned above. There was also a faint, fleeting spice note (star anise). 

This ultra dark bar had interesting, balanced complexity; and a relatively low(er) sugar percentage content enabled more direct, clear access to the natural range of cacao flavors. It was full of subtle aroma and flavor and low in bitterness.

I paired today's chocolate with a small cup of warm "Iron Goddess"* tea, a relatively straight-forward tea blend that was low in bitterness, and had pleasant green tea floral, and very faint grassy and clean mineral notes.

Ingredients: Cacao bean, sugar, cacao butter

Allergen-related information: (No information found on label.)

*Iron Goddess Oolong tea is frequently associated with Fujian province in southeastern China--that borders the China Sea coast (across from Taiwan), where this tea is also grown. Iron Goddess tea is a tea that has typically been oxidized. (Although the degree of oxidation may range from 50 to 25 percent, depending on where it is made.)

Manoa Chocolate - Hawai'i Island Kona 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Aug. 26, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Manoa Chocolate
Hawai'i Island Kona 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.05 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $12.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Manoa Chocolate, online order

Aloha, and welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Hawaii Theme Week.

Today's Hawai'i Island Kona 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was from Manoa Chocolate (Kailua, O'ahu, HI). 

Kona lies on the west side of Hawai'i, aka the Big Island. The sloped spot has rich volcanic soil and is dotted with several small farms growing coffee, fruit and cacao.

Aroma notes for this Hawai'i dark chocolate included: clean, sweet green (nut, seed, stalks, floral, sugarcane,), faint green coconut, tart green citrus (lemongrass) and light almond.

The texture was lovely with an even, light, creamy (almost fluffy) mouthfeel. It was both rich and light at the same time, a little bit liked some whipped buttery mousses.

Chocolate flavor notes included dark chocolate mousse, honey, fruit (green melon), light citrus shortbread, and very faint (and balanced) light, loamy green earth notes.

Like the other Manoa Chocolate Hawaii-born chocolate bars this week, this one had rich chocolate flavor with nuanced depth. 

This slightly bolder chocolate with was well-crafted and approachable, with a friendly array of subtle green, island plantation notes. Like the other Manoa bars, it ended with a very slight earth note toward the end (as the others had despite slightly different cacao blends/origins). 

Manoa maker's notes: "The Likau Kula Farm in Kona is one of our oldest sources of Hawaiian cacao. In 2019 at the largest chocolate festival in the world, the Salon Du Chocolat in Paris, these Hawaiian grown beans from Kona won top 15 best flavored cacao in the world." (Notes: nutty, floral, fudgey)

Manoa suggested beverage pairings: Wine: Pinot Noir; Beer: Summer Ales; Liquor: Bourbon

Ingredients: Cacao, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter 

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that processes milk powder and nuts."

Moku Chocolate - Ecuador Camino Verde 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - Apr. 26, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Moku Chocolate
Ecuador Camino Verde 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .8 oz. (22.5 g.) / 1.6 oz. (45 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.75 (approx.) for 1 bar ($35 for 4 bars)
Purchased from: Good Food Awards Marketplace, online order  

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Ecuador Theme Week.

Today's Ecuador Camino Verde 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was hand-crafted from bean to bar by Moku Chocolate (Philomath, OR). The maker's description of this chocolate follows:

"Ecuador is home to the heirloom Nacional cacao varietal which is famous for its floral aroma and flavor. The cacao used to make this chocolate comes from Camino Verde, a sustainable farm and fermentary in Ecuador. Camino Verde's expert fermentation techniques help to bring out distinct flavor profiles."

Aroma notes included true chocolate (dark chocolate cake, fudge), light molasses, green floral, and warm floral spice. In the aroma was the implied promise of a pleasing, flavorful dark chocolate experience. 

Flavor notes for this smooth, well-tempered bar included: slightly tart sweet, true chocolate (fudge brownie) and floral. The 70% single origin Ecuador dark chocolate was relatively intense (very faint, well-managed, almost sharp/acidic earth (peat) note) with an appealing complexity.

To have a relatively bold, slightly acidic, chocolate like this with floral notes still intact was a pleasure. The floral notes and a natural, almost honeyed, sweetness were balanced by the boldness of the dark chocolate.

Maker's tasting notes: "Floral, honey, fudge."

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter 

Allergen-related information: "vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free"

Wm. Chocolate - Haiti KAFUPBO 80% Dark (bar) - Nov. 15, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Wm. Chocolate

Haiti KAFUPBO 80% Dark (bar)

Good +++

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar

Calories: 150 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar

Cost: $3.75 (sale) for 1 small bar

Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order 

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Hispaniola Theme Weeks--featuring Dominican Republic cacao-based chocolates last week; and chocolates made from cacao grown in the Republic of Haiti this week.

Today's Haiti KAFUPBO 80% Dark (2019 Harvest) (bar) was made from bean to bar by William Marx at Wm. Chocolate LLC (Madison, WI).

KAFUPBO is "a farmer-owned co-op producing world-class organic cacao in northern Haiti." In 2019/2020, Haiti produced only about 5,000 metric tons of cocoa. (The Dominican Republic produced approximately 70,000 metric tons that year.) That's up from the 4,400 tons reported in 2016, but down from the over 20,000 tons from decades earlier--numbers that reflect challenges in this country.

Several organizations, including Produits des Iles S.A. (PISA) and Singing Rooster, have been working with farmers and helping to bring Haiti coffee and cacao to market. I felt grateful to find bars for a Haiti series this week.

Aroma and texture

Today's Wm. Chocolate 80% cacao chocolate had a subtle, complex aroma--a blend of chocolate cookie, with diffuse fruit (red berry, raspberry, very faint sweet lemon, and even fainter lemon herb (oxalis, sour grass, wood sorrel)) notes. The melt and texture were creamy and smooth.

Flavor and tasting ultra-dark bars

As is often the case with ultra-dark (80% and above) chocolates, the flavors are "darker" than the aroma.* Tasting this bar, the initial aroma evoked a sunlit summer tea party with cookies, raspberry jam and lemon slices. 

As I tasted the first piece, it felt like the imaginary tea party had suddenly decided to move into the shaded forest to pick and eat wild blackberries. And I was happy to follow, with an occasional imaginary glance over my shoulder for bears. (Thankfully, no bears or rough or off notes, or earthy spikes; just wonderful, perfectly ripe dark berries and one last cup of tea.)

This bar had a rich dark chocolate flavor that was smooth (well managed) yet complex (rich flavors were allowed to shine). Balanced occasional upticks of earthiness were effectively incorporated into authentic ripe, dark berries: soft undulations of blackberry tea, black currant/elderberry, and black raspberry ice cream notes.

Maker's tasting notes: "Rich and herbal with notes of raspberry, black tea, biscuit"

Ingredients: Certified Organic cacao beans, Certified Organic whole (unrefined) cane sugar, Certified Organic cacao butter

Allergen-related information: "No soy, dairy, grain, nuts, refined sugar, or animal products."

*This rather sudden shift to a darker, more unsweetened cacao taste (vs. a "sweeter" or fruitier initial aroma) found in bars with less than 20% sugar can be a shock--especially for those who are not used to pure cacao flavors or unsweetened chocolate. Our palettes and brains expect chocolates to taste sweet; that's what we're used to. 

However, the best chocolate makers work with farmers, post-harvest fermentation experts, and others to create ultra-dark chocolates with such care and skill that the unique and true flavors of great cacao sing without sugar sparkle; and occasionally (such as with today's maker), seem to add wings for an extra enjoyable ride, where it's possible to experience a form of imaginary culinary transportation.

Raaka Chocolate - Double Chocolate Waffle Cone 61% (bar) - Oct. 25, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Raaka Chocolate

Double Chocolate Waffle Cone 61% Unroasted Dark Chocolate (bar)

Good ++

Weight: .9 oz. (25.4 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50.9 g.) in total bar

Calories: 140 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Uganda Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Waffle Week.

Today's Double Chocolate Waffle Cone 61% Cacao Dark Unroasted Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by Raaka Chocolate (Brooklyn, NY).

It's unusual to find a "fun" single origin dark chocolate bar. If an artisan chocolate maker is laser focused on developing and featuring flavor nuances present in a small batch of single origin (and/or single variety or harvest) cacao beans, this maker likely, understandably, will hesitate to muffle these flavor nuances with additional ingredients. 

Today's offering not only evokes scenes of summer chocolate ice cream cones at the beach, but also amps up these conjured memories with a high-quality, flavorful deep, dark chocolate made from African cacao grown in the Semuliki Forest region of Uganda.*

An aesthetically-pleasing, broad strip of chocolate (gluten free) waffle cone was adhered to the back of this bar, offering a sweet (but not too sweet) flavor inclusion. Separating the two elements allowed for layered flavors in the tasting, and made it easier to enjoy the underlying 61% dark chocolate. (It was possible to break off a piece of chocolate from the non-waffle cone covered edge to taste that separately.)

Aroma and flavor notes included dark chocolate, diffuse fruit (spiced peach and berry compote/jam), warm spice (cinnamon) and authentic, faintly earthy and floral vanilla bean. 

The dark chocolate had an even melt and smooth, balanced deep dark flavor quality (richer than most 61% cacao chocolates). And the thin waffle cone layer added a light wafer-like texture with a very subtle chew. The thoughtful stacking (vs. homogenizing) of flavors made this blend a success.

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar, organic cacao butter, gluten free waffle cone (organic rice flour, organic brown rice flour, organic tapioca flour, organic millet flour, organic cacao powder, organic coconut oil, organic cane sugar, organic apple puree, organic flax seed meal, organic arrowroot powder, organic inulin, xanthan gum), organic vanilla

Allergen-related information: Vegan, gluten free, soy free

*Uganda is the becoming more well-known for single origin cacao, thanks in part to work being done in-country to reward (better pay, support) farmers to obtain premium cacao. In 2019, Uganda was the sixth largest cacao-exporting African nation (behind Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon and Sierra Leone).

The chocolates featured as part of an Uganda-themed week (Oct. 18-26, 2021), on this Chocolate Banquet site, have all been quite good--with deep, dark chocolate-y flavor; subtle hints of faintly tart-sweet fruit and occasional warm spice; and very faint, balanced earth. 

(I would also recommend trying Raaka Chocolate's Maple Dark 75% cacao (Uganda) baking chocolate pieces, featured on October 21, 2021.)

Latitude Craft Chocolate - Rwenzori 80% Uganda (bar) - Oct. 24, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Latitude Trade Company Ltd.

(Latitude Craft Chocolate)

Rwenzori 80% Uganda (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar

Calories: 220 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order (and Latitude via Chocolopolis.com)

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

Today's Rwenzori 80% (Uganda) (bar) was from Latitude Craft Chocolate / Latitude Trade Company Ltd. (Kampala, Uganda).

The cocoa used to make Latitude chocolate is sourced from several hundred certified organic farmers in Uganda. Latitude purchases cocoa "face-to-face at the farms," often at village collection points in rural areas.

Aroma and flavor were similar and included attractive, true deep, dark chocolate, light/diffuse red fruit (berry) and faint light earth, followed by an isolated, faint, sparkle or two of faint, tropical fruit.*

The melt and texture were fairly thick and creamy. (I was surprised to learn that there was no added cocoa butter--a testament to the fact that some cocoa beans have a naturally-occurring, higher cocoa fat/butter content. Beans with more fat are sometimes found when cacao is grown at higher, cooler altitudes and/or further away from the Equator) 

The (drum) roasting and refining/conching choices seemed thoughtful. Nothing too wild left in the results; but the smooth flavor(s) that were developed (or that remained) added a bit of complexity. 

The overall flavor was quite smooth, sophisticated, almost subdued, for an ultra-dark bar. There were no sharp off-notes. This 80% chocolate contained deep cocoa (brownie) notes in the background; and the finish was fairly clean and subtle. Some of the best flavor qualities of Forastero and Trinitario are evoked here. 

The cacao had a balanced, almost restrained, bitterness and a fair amount of natural sweetness. However, this ultra-dark bar was not too sweet. (Thank you to Latitude for offering this 80% cacao version.)

Maker's notes: "A dark daredevil with a fruity twist...This bolder, older sibling to our (70%) Semuliki bar. This is a darker chocolate with notes of bright fresh fruits."

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, cane sugar

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles tree nuts, wheat, dairy, eggs, peanuts and soy."

*This tropical fruit note was only tasted in a later, re-tasting today, a few hours after I'd enjoyed some pawpaw fruit, so this could have been a prior fruit-influenced sparkle. I'd earlier (yesterday as part of a Chocolopolis.com Latitude remote bar tasting) also picked up a very faint green, molasses note, which did not show up in today's re-samplings. 

Latitude Craft Chocolate - Bukonzo Coffee Uganda (bar) - Oct. 23, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Latitude Trade Company Ltd.
Bukonzo Coffee Uganda (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Uganda Theme Week.

Today's Bukonzo Coffee Uganda (bar) was from Latitude Craft Chocolate (Latitude Trade Company Ltd.) (Kampala, Uganda).*

Uganda is in the geographic sweet spot for growing coffee and cacao, and is perhaps more well-known for the former. The country is the second largest producer of coffee (behind Ethiopia) in Africa; and exports include Arabica as well as Robusta varieties.

Both coffee and cacao can be found growing in the Rwenzori Mountains area of southwestern Uganda (close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo).

The aroma of today's coffee infused bar was a blend of sweet, dark chocolate and subtle roasted coffee notes. And the melt and texture were creamy and smooth.

This chocolate tasted sweet and bright with balanced acidity; and had a faint, pleasing almost floral (vanilla-hazelnut) upbeat note in the finish. The coffee was present without being overwhelming.

Tasting notes: "A breakfast alternative...Single-origin Ugandan arabica coffee from the Rwenzori Mountains delivers the punch in this pleasantly bitter, bright and nutty bar."

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, cocoa butter, cane sugar, roasted coffee

Allergen-related information: "Made in a facility that handles tree nuts, wheat, dairy, eggs, peanuts and soy."

*Latitude is a Certified B Corporation actively involved in direct trade in Africa. The company sources the cocoa in their chocolate bars "from over 1,000 certified organic farmers in Uganda, purchasing face-to-face at the farms." Their supplier program offers "training, a premium price, insurance, and microfinance to support farm households..."