Pure Chocolate - 75% Dark Chocolate, Single Origin (bar) - Oct. 9, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Pure Chocolate
75% Dark Chocolate, Single Origin (bar)
Good++ 
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 80 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate & Jamaica Theme Week.

Today's 75% Dark Chocolate Farm to Bar, Single Origin (bar) was made by Pure Chocolate Ltd. (St. Ann, Jamaica, West Indies).

Aroma and flavor notes for this two-ingredient bar included: relatively smooth dark chocolate with faint and balanced cream/yogurt, earth and an attractive fruit sweetness (red and tropical fruits), with a slight (fruit) acidic astringency in the finish.

Texture: smooth with a slight astringency in the finish

I'm normally not a huge fan of yogurt and earth notes; but I enjoyed the well-balanced complexity of flavors in this attractively packaged bar*. I kept coming back for more. 

Ingredients: Jamaican cocoa beans, cane sugar

Allergen-related information: "made in a facility that handles peanuts, tree nuts, dairy & gluten"

*Pure Chocolate works with local Jamaican artists Taj Francis and Kokab Zohoori-Dossa to create striking, colorful portrait style images that appear on their packaging.

Likkle More Chocolate - Signature Terroir Dark 70% Cocoa (bar) - Oct. 8, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Likkle More Chocolate
Signature Terroir Dark 70% Cocoa Single Origin Jamaica, West Indies (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $16.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order

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

Today's Signature Terroir Dark 70% Cocoa, Single Origin, Jamaica, West Indies (bar) was from Likkle More Chocolate (Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies).

Aroma and flavor notes included: smooth, dark chocolate (chocolate ganache; pleasant, warm cocoa) with very faint red and tropical fruits; and very faint fruit acidity at the end of the finish.

Texture: well-tempered bar that broke with a snap; smooth texture and melt

I appreciated this balanced, single origin dark chocolate made with a short list of just three ingredients.

Ingredients: Cocoa nibs, cane sugar, cocoa butter. All-natural colors derived from plants, fruits & vegetables. 

Allergen-related information: "Made in a kitchen that handles milk, seeds & nuts."

Pure Chocolate - Jamaica 70% Dark Chocolate with Coffee (bar) - Oct. 7, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Pure Chocolate
Jamaica 70% Dark Chocolate with Coffee (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 90 calories (sounds low) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $11.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar & Cacao, online order 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate & Jamaica Theme Week.

Today's Jamaica 70% Dark Chocolate with Coffee (bar) was from Pure Chocolate Ltd. (St. Ann, Jamaica, West Indies).

Aroma and flavor notes included: relatively smooth, dark chocolate (creamy drinking chocolate) with faint, balanced coffee (not too bitter or acidic).

Texture: smooth melt and relatively creamy cocoa texture

I appreciated the balanced cocoa flavors; the short list of only four ingredients (at least three of the four were from/grown in Jamaica); the sweetness that wasn't too sweet; and the subtlety of the coffee. 

Ingredients: Jamaican cocoa beans, unrefined Jamaican cocoa butter, cane sugar, Jamaican coffee

Allergen-related information: "made in a facility that handles peanuts, tree nuts, dairy & gluten." 

Likkle More Artisan Chocolate - Blue Mountain Coffee Jamaica, West Indies 68% Cocoa (bar) - Oct. 6, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Likkle More Artisan Chocolate
Blue Mountain Coffee Jamaica, West Indies 68% Cocoa (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: 1.23 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 170 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $16.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocolate Dispensary, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate & Jamaica Theme Week. This is the second coffee bar featured today. (See previous entry.) Both bars were notable for their subtle, nuanced coffee notes.

Today's Blue Mountain Coffee Jamaica, West Indies 68% Cocoa (bar) was from Likkle More Chocolate (Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies).

Aroma and flavor notes for this single origin bar included: relatively bold dark chocolate with rich (but not overpowering) coffee; subtly sweet, with balanced acidity, earth.

Texture: well-tempered; broke with a snap; smooth melt

I appreciated the relatively bold, balanced dark chocolate and the deep forest-y Blue Mountain coffee notes. It was bolder and darker than most 68% cacao dark chocolates, but not too bitter or acidic. 

Once last thought: I suggest leaving this bar open to "breathe" for about 15-20 minutes after opening the inner packaging and before tasting. You'll get a slightly smoother, more even flavor.

Ingredients: "Cocoa nibs, cane sugar, cocoa butter, ground Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. All-natural colors derived from plants, fruits & vegetables."

Allergen-related information: "Made in a kitchen that handles milk, seeds & nuts."

Endorfin Foods - Turkish Coffee 60% Cacao with coconut (bar) - Oct. 6, 2026

Chocolate of the Day

Endorfin Foods 
Turkish Coffee 60% Cacao with coconut (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total bar

Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $5.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Los Altos, CA 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Endorfin Foods Turkish Coffee 60% Cacao with coconut (bar) was manufactured by Coracao Confections (Richmond, CA).

Aroma notes included: smooth dark chocolate (slightly fudge-y); brown sugar; faint dried fruit (date, jujube, red fruit) and coconut cookie; and very faint cardamom coffee.

Texture: relatively smooth texture with a pleasant melt

Flavor notes included: smooth "milk" chocolate with complex and subtle dried fruits; mild brown/coconut sugar and "caramelized" coconut butter; and very faint, gently spiced coffee.

I enjoyed the subtle flavors in this bar; the short list of organic and fair trade ingredients; the lack of gluten and refined sugars; and the lightness of the coffee--that allowed the chocolate-y notes shine.

Note: This bar was similar (but not identical) to a similar bar from Endorfin Foods 10 years ago (so likely a different harvest/batch of cacao as well). But, just in case, I'm featuring a second coffee chocolate bar today (see next entry) from Jamaica.

Ingredients: Cacao+*, Coconut Sugar*, Caramelized Coconut Butter*, Cacao Butter+*, Coffee*, Cardamom* (*Organic (Certified Organic by COOF);+Fair Trade Certified (TM))

Allergen-related information: No Dairy, No Soy, No Refined Sugar, No Gluten, No GMO, No Sugar Alcohols

Valley Isle Chocolate - Kona Coconut Mocha (bar) - Oct. 5, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Valley Isle Chocolate
Kona Coconut Mocha (bar)

Good + - Good ++ 
Weight: .7 oz. (20 g.) / 1.40 oz. (40 g.) in total bar
Calories: 109 calories (estimate) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $8.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Village Market, SF Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Kona Coconut Mocha (bar) was from Valley Isle Chocolate (Kahului, Maui, HI). The company offers a variety of bars with Hawaiian-grown ingredients. They started as a Hawaii home kitchen operation in 2021 and expanded into a commercial space.

This bar was made using Kona (Big Island) grown cacao, and coffee from Maui 'Oma Coffee Roasting Co. (Kahului, HI) in Maui.

Aroma and flavor notes included: coffee, coconut, cocoa and light caramel.

The texture was a study in contrasts: very smooth and creamy coconut milk chocolate on the one hand,  with a coating (on one side) of crunchy coffee bean shards on the other. The unsweetened coffee beans  helped balance the coconut milk sweetness.

Ingredients: Cacao, Organic Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Milk Powder, Coffee 

Allergen-related information: Contains Coconut. Manufactured in a facility that also processes: Milk, Peanuts, Tree Nuts

Sted Foods - Coffee + Cream 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) - Oct. 4, 2026

Chocolate of The Day

Sted Foods
Coffee + Cream 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: .5 oz. (14.1 g.) in 1 small bar
Calories: 79 calories (estimate) in 1 small bar
Cost: $3.33 for 1 small bar (1 bar from a $10.00 3-bar set)
Purchased from: Sted Foods, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate & Coffee Theme Week.

Today's Sted Coffee + Cream 50% Dark Milk Chocolate (bar) was manufactured by TC Foods, LLC (Fergus Falls, MN).

Aroma and flavor notes included: comforting dark milk chocolate and mocha latte

Texture: smooth and creamy, as advertised

I really enjoyed the balanced and gently complex flavors, and the creamy texture. And I appreciated the  list of organic, high-quality and authentic-tasting ingredients. 

Could I see this as my "morning ritual"? Yes. Yes, I could.

Maker's tasting notes: Bright Ethiopian coffee balanced with our creamy dark milk chocolate

Ingredients: organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic whole milk powder, organic Ethiopian coffee

Allergen-related information: Made in a facility that uses sesame seeds, pecans, almonds, coconut, cashews, hazelnuts, and milk