• Tweet
• 
• Email

• Tweet
• Email

After reading a marvelous post by Mark Sisson about the benefits of dark chocolate (as if we needed convincing to eat more of the stuff!) and looking at his top 5 favorite dark chocolate list, we decided to run to our local store and buy all the highest cacao percentages. Here is a list of the top five most delicious dark chocolate bars that we could easily find. Of course, there are likely many types of dark chocolate out there that beat our list to the ground, but we wanted a list that could be found at the local grocery store and accessed by anyone! We live in Houston, TX, so we buy our chocolates from HEB, Randall’s, Whole Foods, and/or Kroger.

The TCHO PureNotes™ series of dark chocolates is by far one of our favorites to date. The shear range of flavor that TCHO can produce from the properties of the cocoa bean alone is something that is unparalleled by any other brand.

If it weren’t for the fact that that by our paleo standards I only allow 70% or above cocoa content, the entire top of this list would be composed of TCHO’s “flavor wheel” of different chocolates, containing “Nutty,” Chocolatey,” “Citrus,” Earthy,” and “Floral” flavor notes.

The “Chocolatey” bar does however meet my minimum of 70% requirement, and is also by far our favorite bar from their PureNotes™ lineup. Upon opening the elegantly designed packaging, you are instantly hit with the phenomenal aroma of what could not be better described than “Chocolatey.” The texture is very satisfying, starting with a delightful snap and then melting nearly instantly in your mouth – and that’s when the “intensely fudge-like flavor with hints of roasted malt and caramel” TCHO likes to describe really comes to life! Now we are the kind of people who when tasting wine or such fine things will NEVER sense those hidden “peaches” or “roses” that are clearly obvious to the rest of the world, but in this case the “Chcoclatey” bar from TCHO PureNotes™ lived up to our every expectation.

If you are looking for that one elegantly crafted chocolate bar to sit down and savor this the “Chocolatey” bar is a clear cut winner of the divine chocolately heaven award!

While TCHO is a very special and somewhat pricey chocolate, Green & Black’s Organic Dark (85%) can be found in our local grocery stores and is considerably less expensive. Having a high cacao content, we were initially worried the chocolate would be overly bitter, but our fears were instantly allayed with the first bite. This chocolate bar is rich, creamy, silky smooth and delightfully lightly sweet, without strong overtones of bitterness. Needless to say, this bar doesn’t last very long in our apartment.

The ingredients in this chocolate are also a bonus – all organic and no sign of soy lecithin, which is a common chocolate emulsifier. Green & Black’s also has Dark (70%) and Espresso (70%) flavors that are equally delightful!

We spotted the Thio Spicy Chile Dark Chocolate (70%) while walking around REI and we had to have it. Both of us absolutely love spicy foods and chilis, so we didn’t think twice about buy this bar, even with it’s $4.00 price tag. At the first bite, the chocolate is tangy, sweet and has hints of citrus that concludes with a spicy kick at the end. If you love hot foods, you’re in for a real treat! The flavors are complex and work together for an amazing spice experience – definitely not a run-of-the-mill chocolate.

If you aren’t particularly fond of hot stuff, Thio also makes an Ultimate Dark Chocolate (85%) and a Rich Dark Chocolate (70%), although we weren’t able to find any because REI was sold out. Like Green & Black’s, Thio has no soy lecithin and has all fair trade, organic ingredients.

With multiple dark chocolate flavored bars, all above 70%, Endangered Species is one of our favorite go-to chocolate bars. Their ingredients are all organic and fair trade, and 10% of the company’s net profits are donated to species and habitat conservation efforts, so each bite is not only rich and delectable, but is also going to a wonderful cause. The Extreme Dark Chocolate (88%) is rich and not overly bitter, and the chocolate is crunchier than Green & Black’s 85% chocolate. This brand is fairly inexpensive compared to Thio and TCHO, and can easily be found in a variety of flavors at our grocery store. We also absolutely love the Mint (72%) and Espresso Bean (72%) flavors when craving something different from plain dark chocolate.

Although Dagoba makes multiple types of dark chocolate (many of which are 70% and higher), we spotted the Xocalatl bar of “rich dark chocolate, chilies & nibs” and we had to try it. This spicy bar was crunchier than the Thio Spicy Chile bar, with a sharper set of flavors, making it less smooth but also more intense than the other bars we’ve tried. Xocolatl also had citrus overtones, but was less sweet and definitely spicier than it’s Thio counterpart. Definitely a great bar if you’re looking for a more rugged chocolate experience, with its crunch, spice and heat!

The other 70%+ flavors include Beaucoup Berries Bar (74%), Conacado Bar (73%), New Moon Bar (74%), Superfruit Bar (74%) and it’s highest cacao Eclipse Bar (87%). Dagoba certainly offers a different chocolate experience from the others in our list!

About the Authors
Julie and Jonathan are a couple in Houston, Texas hunting and gathering their way to a better lifestyle through science, excercise, and a lot of food.