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

Chocolate of The Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

Texture: smooth textured with an even, rich melt

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

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

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

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

Chocolate of The Day

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

Purchased from: Pili Hunters website, online order

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ingredients: Sprouted Pili Nuts, Raw Cacao, Coconut Sugar

Allergen-related information: Contains Pili Nuts

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

Chocolate of The Day

Fossa Chocolate 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ingredients: "Cacao, cane sugar"

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

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

Chocolate of The Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Chocolate of The Day

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

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

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

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

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

Texture: very smooth, well-tempered

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

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

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

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

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

Chocolate of The Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chocolate of The Day

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

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

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

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

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

Texture: smooth, almost velvety texture and melt

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

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

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

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