Cacao Laboratory - Earth Ceremonial Grade Cacao 100% Cacao with Moringa & Chipotle (bar) - June 18, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Cacao Laboratory 
Earth - Ceremonial Grade Cacao 100% Cacao with Moringa & Chipotle (bar) 
Good ++ 
Weight: .35 oz. (10 g.) / 3.53 oz. (100 g.) in total bar 
Calories: 57 calories in 2 squares 
Cost: $15.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Xocolatl Garden, Carmel, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate & Earth Theme Week, featuring several chocolates with ties to mountains, forests, plants and gardens.

Today's Earth - Ceremonial Grade Cacao 100% Cacao with Moringa & Chipotle (bar) was made by Cacao Laboratory Corp. (Kingston, NY).  

Aroma notes included: slightly earthy dark chocolate; and--after first cutting open the inner wrapper--it had a pepper-like sharpness (that made me cough if I inhaled too deeply). Typically a sensation like this decreases if the chocolate airs out for about 10+ minutes after opening. (It did take the feisty edge off this bar.)

Flavor notes included a pleasant green/plant taste; fire-roasted, slightly early (mild) pepper; followed by a steep dive into 100% cacao bitter and deep-chocolate-y, dark chocolate. About an hour later, after something to eat, I wanted a second piece/square; and the second piece seemed mellower and even more enjoyable.

Texture: relatively smooth with a very slight, temporary, micron level graininess, and very faint lingering (and balanced) roasted/gently smoked pepper + cacao finish.

I appreciated Cacao Lab's short list of (three) organic ingredients, and the idea of achieving better balance in a world of different forces, with assistance from the four elements (earth, air, fire and water). Their Sacred Elements Blends (line of bars) "were created to help you harness the qualities of the four classical elements..."

Indeed, I did feel more grounded within about 10 minutes after sitting and eating today's chocolate. (The physical absence of a sugar buzz helped with that feeling.) Eating a 100% unsweetened chocolate is also a much slower, arguably more deliberate, experience than scarfing down the average, sugar-sweetened ("more-ish") chocolate.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Rich leather, smoke"

Ingredients: Theobroma cacao*, moringa*, chipotle* (*organic)

Allergen-related information: Processed on equipment that also processes nuts

*Notes about the 3 ingredients: 

Cacao: single origin cacao (sourced from Manabi, Ecuador)

Chipotle peppers (native to the Americas) are smoke-dried jalapeno peppers--a process that gives them a mellower, richer flavor. 

Moringa is a nutritious, drought-resistant tree originally from northwestern India. While not native to the Americas, it is now widely grown in Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and other countries.

Wild West Chocolate - Prairie Oat Organic Oatmilk Chocolate 50% Cacao (bar) - June 17, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Wild West Chocolate
Prairie Oat - Organic Oatmilk Chocolate with Toasted Oats 50% Cacao (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 2.3 oz. (65.2 g.) in total bar
Calories: 340 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.08 (approx.) for 1 bar - Part of a 3-bar pack for $21.25
Purchased from: Wild West Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate & Earth Theme Week (including chocolates that have ties with mountains, forests and gardens...and at least one chocolate related to plains and prairies.

Today's Prairie Oat Organic Oat Milk Chocolate 50% Cacao (bar) from Wild West Chocolate (Missoula, MT) managed to represent earth, wind and water elements.

I find undulating wind-driven waves rolling through grasses (or large wheat/oat fields) mesmerizing. City dwellers like me need to drive several hours to enjoy wind dancing through oceans of prairie grasses. Happily, this bar conjured memories of wide open prairies and waving oat grasses catching golden light.

Today's Prairie Oat - Organic Oatmilk Chocolate with Toasted Oats 50% Cacao (bar) was from Wild West Chocolate (Missoula, MT).

Aroma and flavor notes included: subtle chocolate, very faint fruit, and a satisfying oatmeal-like flavor.

I don't care for the slightly dry/gritty texture and flavor of some oat milk* chocolates--or the fact that any "milks" can mask/dull subtle cacao flavors. 

However, the oatmilk bars from Wild West Chocolate haven't given me this experience. And the whole oats (that covered the back side of today's Prairie Oat bar) were pleasant (not too rough, and imparting a mellow oat flavor)--making the whole oat experience quite enjoyable. And I believe the company's blend of fruit powders (used to sweeten the chocolate instead of sugar) provided a good balance with the oats.

Ingredients: Organic Oat milk Chocolate (Organic Fruit Blend [Powdered Date+, Powdered Mulberry+, Powdered Peach+, Powdered Mango+], Organic Cocoa Liquor++, Organic Cocoa Butter++, Oat milk+, Vanilla Extract+), Gluten-Free Oats+. (+Organic Ingredients; ++47% Fair Trade Ingredients, Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA

Allergen-related information: Contains Gluten Free Oats. "Made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. Made with 100% fair trade and sustainable cocoa. Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, milk, wheat and soy."

*Bottom line: Making a good oat milk chocolate is not easy. You have to get those starches and saponins, particle sizes, temperatures, interactions with cacao flavors, etc. just right.

Wild West Chocolate - Snowcapped Coconut 50% Cacao Oatmilk Chocolate (bar) - June 16, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Wild West Chocolate

Snowcapped Coconut 50% Cacao Oatmilk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.6 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65.2 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.08 (approx.) for 1 bar - 1 of 3 bars for $21.25 
Purchased from: Wild West Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate & Earth: Mountains, Forests & Gardens Theme Week. (The next 4 weeks will focus on chocolates related to the elements: Earth, Water and Fire.) 

Today's Snowcapped Coconut 50% Cacao Oatmilk Chocolate (bar) was from Wild West Chocolate  (Missoula, MT).

This chocolate was "inspired by the majestic peaks of the snow-covered Rocky Mountains" and was "blanketed with a whimsical flurry of organic coconut flakes."

Aroma and flavor notes for this vegan dark oatmilk bar included: smooth dark chocolate, faint diffuse fruit (berry, tropical fruit, and barely-there citrus (sweet tangerine)), and very faint coconut.

Texture: creamy smooth chocolate with a dusting of very fine-textured coconut "snow" on one side. 

I enjoyed the balanced blend of very subtle fruit, smooth chocolate, and very light and authentic coconut "snow."

I appreciated the use of Organic ingredients; the fruit powder blend used to sweeten the chocolate; and that this oat milk bar did not taste "oat-y". It was sweet, but not too sweet--allowing greater appreciation for the subtle chocolate and other flavors.

Ingredients: Organic Oatmilk Chocolate (Organic Fruit Blend [Powdered Date+, Powdered Mulberry+, Powdered Peach+, Powdered Mango+], Organic Cocoa Liquor++, Organic Cocoa Butter++, Oatmilk+, Vanilla Extract+), Coconut+.  (+Organic; ++49% Fair Trade ingredients)

Allergen-related information: Contains Coconut. "Manufactured on equipment that processes tree nuts, peanuts, milk, wheat, and soy."

Seattle Chocolate Co. - Maeve Hungry Blackberry Dark & White Chocolate Truffle Bar - June 15, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Seattle Chocolate Co. 
Maeve Hungry Blackberry Dark & White Chocolate Truffle Bar
Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 200 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $7.50 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Copperfield Books, Petaluma, CA

Welcome to the final day (Day #11) of Chocolate & Bears Theme Week--filled with many fun items. Some items, while not chonicled here on Chocolate Banquet, deserve an honorable mention for their bear themes.

Today's Maeve** Hungry Bear Blackberry truffle bar was from Seattle Chocolate Co. (Seattle, WA). The original company (founded in 1991) offers a line of chocolate bars (including filled chocolate truffle bars) and confections.

Aroma and flavor notes for this sweet, slim, filled bar included: sweet dark milk chocolate, subtle berry (blackberry) with a soft, sweet (candy-level sweet) light vanilla and berry white chocolate filling.

The blend of dark and white chocolate added layered flavors. The blackberry flavor was relatively pleasing and authentic (all the berry, none of the seeds). However, the overall sweetness level was way too high for me. 

Texture: soft, thin layer of mild dark chocolate and soft vanilla and berry filling

Ingredients: white chocolate (cane sugar, cocoa butter*, milk, soy lecithin, natural vanilla), dark chocolate (cocoa mass, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter, organic soy lecithin, organic vanilla), coconut oil, blackberry powder, natural flavor, sea salt, citric acid. (*Rainforest Alliance Certified.)

Allergen-related information: Contains milk, soy, and coconut. This product is manufactured in a plant that processes milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, and wheat products. *Rainforest Alliance Certified.

*Honorable mentions included: Hot Chocolate with whipped cream at the Black Bear Diner (a place loaded with carved wooden bears and bear-a-phernalia, and Cacao & Cashew Butter Crunch Granola from Bear Naked Granola with a lovely black bear logo.

**Maeve Chocolate and the Maeve Logo are Trademarks of Seattle Chocolate Co. (The company re-branded their name to Maeve Chocolate in 2025.)

Eigen Chocolate - Dulce de Oso 54% Brown Butter Milk Chocolate (bar) - June 14, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Eigen Chocolate
Dulce Del Oso 54% Brown Butter Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 136 calories (estimate) in 1 bar 
Cost: $7.50 for 1 small bar
Purchased from: Eigen Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Bears Theme Week.

Today's Dulce Del Oso 54% Brown Butter Milk Chocolate (bar) was made at Eigen Chocolate (High Point, NC). 

The makers sourced their cacao from Osito Coffee and Cacao in Colombia.

Aroma notes included: sweet, rich, dark milk chocolate (drinking chocolate), buttery toffee and caramel. The flavor notes were similar, but with more rich chocolate-y (brown butter chocolate ice cream) flavors and very faint tropical fruit (cacao fruit, passion fruit) and very faint pomegranate.

Texture: creamy, velvety dark milk chocolate with a satisfying buttery melt and mouthfeel.

Maker's Tasting Notes: "Fudge, Butterscotch, Tropical Fruit" "...ultra-rich butterscotchy-fudgy milk chocolate with a toasted brown butter finish."

I enjoyed this authentic, flavorful and buttery dark milk chocolate with balanced, single origin complexity. Perfect for those with a brown butter chocolate ice cream sweet tooth who also appreciate gentler (less bitter), high-end, deep cacao flavor(s).

Ingredients: Cacao nibs, Organic cane sugar, Organic A2/A2 whole milk powder, Organic cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk. Made in a facility that handles nuts, dairy & soy.

Seahorse Chocolate - La Cueva del Oso 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) - June 13, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Seahorse Chocolate
La Cueva del Oso 70% Dark Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.75 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 137 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $14.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Seahorse Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate & Bears Theme Week. 

Today's La Cueva del Oso 70% Dark Chocolate (bar) was made by the bean-to-bar chocolate makers at Seahorse Chocolate (Bend, OR).

The cacao beans were sourced from smallholder farmers in Huila, Colombia (and were processed at a centralized fermentary in Altamira--run by Osito Coffee. (Osito means little bear. And the name of their cacao operation is La Cueva del Oso (bear's cave). 

The connection with "bears" could also be a tribute of sorts to local bears*--that have also become a modern day symbol of conservation and good stewardship.

Unique aroma and flavor notes for this single origin bar included rich dark cocoa, sweet toffee and balanced herb-y menthol--that I thought might be headed toward bitterness, but that never happened.

Texture: smooth, relatively pleasant melt

I liked the short list of ingredients, the single origin cacao story, the smooth texture, the unique flavor profile...and the bear connection.

Maker's Tasting Notes: Toffee, Molasses, Wild Mint

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar

Allergen-related information: (None listed on packaging.)

*Osos de Anteojos (Spectacled Bears, aka Andean Bears) live in several South American countries, including Colombia--and can be found not far from where today's cacao was grown/fermented. These bears live in mountainous and forested areas. They occasionally visit farms to enjoy fruits, including the pulpy cacao fruit (that surrounds the cacao seeds/beans). This helps disperse seeds and can benefit local ecosystems.

 

Weiser Classic Candy Grizzly Bear Paw & Sjaak's California State Bear Dark (bar) - June 12, 2026

Chocolate(s) of The Day

Weiser Classic Candy
Grizzly Paw Soft Caramel 
Good ++
Weight: 2.5 oz. (70.75 g.) / 5 oz. (141.5 g.) in total package/box
Calories: 387 calories (estimate) in 1/2 serving
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package/large bear paw (+ other bonus items)
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

Sjaak's Organic Chocolates
California State Bear Dark Chocolate Almonds (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 2 oz. (56 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: Missing information
Purchased from: Missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Bears Theme Week, featuring two bear-themed chocolates.

Grizzly Paw Soft Caramel with Cashew "Claws"

This chocolate coated Grizzly (bear) paw was from Weiser Classic Candy (Weiser, ID).

Weiser Classic Candy is a family-run store (and deli) serving: fudge, caramel (and chocolate) confections, and ice cream. The small-batch chocolatier also produces chocolate confections that are carried in several other small businesses. (They use local ingredients including sugar from local sugar beets and dairy from local cows.)

This bear paw caramel-filled confection was big enough to share with two other people. It was filled with a soft, gentle sea of caramel. The sweetness of the caramel was vast, but balanced by the impressive claws (whole, salted cashews).

I enjoyed the salty claws (whole, salted, jumbo cashews) on this generously-sized grizzly claw. I also was tickled to find two bonus items...

...Under the chocolate caramel claw were a smattering of chocolate-covered raisins (chocolate bear scat) and a small bell (a reference to bear bells often used to let bears know you may be in their area and/or that you're headed their way).

A short printed bear story included information about bears being reintroduced in Idaho (and suggestions about possible human-bear interactions).

Ingredients: Unsweetened Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Soya Lecithin, Vanillin (an artificial flavor), natural & artificial flavorings, butter corn syrup, evaporated milk, tenox, sucovert, paramount crystals, cashews

Allergen-related information: Contains Milk, Soy, Nuts (Cashews). "These products are produced in a facility that uses major allergens: peanuts, soy beans, milk, eggs, fish, tree nuts, and wheat"

California State Bear Dark Chocolate (bar)

Today's California State Bear Dark Chocolate Almonds bar was from Sjaak's Organic Chocolates.

This bear bar was a marvel. It was six years old, and looked and tasted brand new. The well-tempered dark chocolate (no cacao % listed on the label) was smooth-textured and smooth-flavored with a balanced chocolate-y taste. Tiny almond bits added a bit of texture and authentic nut (almond) flavor.

Sadly, the chocolate maker is no longer in business. (Sjaak's Organic Chocolates was based in Petaluma, in Northern California and closed up shop in November 2023 after an almost 20-year run.)

Ingredients: Organic Dark Chocolate (organic cocoa paste), organic sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla), organic almonds. 

Allergen-related information: Contains Almonds. "Sjaak's Organic Chocolates is a vegan facility. Equipment shared with peanuts/tree nuts. Ingredients suppliers may share equipment that could result in trace amounts of dairy protein."