My sister gave me 12 bars of Dagoba chocolate once as a birthday present, and my, oh my… It was the start of my chocolate journal. Alas, since I was a novice chocolate taster at the time, I may have to go back and review these again!
They make some fantastic and unique blends, and they are 100% organic. Many are Fair Trade certified. All are delicious!
Thanks to astute readers Annie and Renelle for pointing out that Hershey’s has purchased Dagoba (as of October ’06). I’ve been keeping an eye out, but so far haven’t noticed any drop in quality. Please let me know if you have any comments to add!
Dagoba Chocolate Reviews
Lavender
3.21.05
Pure ecstasy. Sublime. My first thought was the smell reminded me of potpourri – I’m not accustomed to eating lavender – but the blend is so smooth, subtle, and perfectly balanced. Mmmm. Update Feb ’07: I still love this bar. Every time I eat it, I am amazed by the richness of the lavender and blueberry flavors. It always impresses when given as a gift, and is my favorite Dagoba chocolate bar.
Our rating: 5 of 5 bon bons
Dark (59%)
3.21.05
Among the smoothest and best dark chocolates ever.
Our rating: 4.5 of 5 bon bons
New Moon (74%)
3.21.05
Among the smoothest and best dark chocolates ever. (Wait, didn’t I just say that? I must be building somewhat of a darkness tolerance as I didn’t notice a huge difference between this and the Dagoba Dark.)
Our rating: 4 of 5 bon bons
Mint
3.21.05
One mustn’t imagine a York Peppermint Patty distilled into a bar. That’s a candy. This is chocolate, and Dagoba chocolate at that. The mint flavor is subtle, and complements, rather than overpowers, the chocolate. It seems to get mintier over time; perhaps the minty flavor from the first bite lingers to the last.
Our rating: 4 of 5 bon bons
Mon Cherri (72%)
3.21.05
Most recent is Mon Cherri (72%), with dried berries and vanilla. One tester thought it quite good, “very dark and fruity.” I thought it quite dark (in the way that dark can mean bitter) and a bit tart and the blend not so seamless. Still yummy, but not my favorite.
Our rating: 3.5 of 5 bon bons
Eclipse (87%)
4.2.05
This is not a chocolate bar for children. In fact, it’s not one for most adults either. Pushing the cacao content is always tricky – the more cacao, the less sugar and cocoa butter, things that make the chocolate sweet and smooth. In this case the balance falls a little towards the overly bitter, a little towards the chalky brittle texture. But for super dark chocolate junkies, it’s just the thing. (Note: Just saw in the store that these have been reformulated. I’ll have to give it another go.)
Our rating: 2 of 5 bon bons
Roseberry (59%)
4.4.05
For me this bar was neither terribly rosy nor terribly berry. I did find it fruitier than other Dagoba chocolate bars, and the berry flavor seemed to increase the more I ate – is this because I adapted to the dark of the chocolate and could better sense the berries of is it because I was eating this along with strawberries? My companion thought it decidedly floral – an initial burst of floral followed by a crescendo of raspberry.
Our rating: 3.25 of 5 bon bons
Xocolatl (74%)
5.2.05
A chocolate for the adventurous – less a flavor than a sensation. The first few bites are all deliciously dark chocolate with some pleasantly crunchy nibs, but the more one eats the more one feels the burn and blend of the spices on the tongue. One can’t help but wonder whether you’ve been drugged by Montezuma himself.
Our rating: 3.5 of 5 bon bons
Conacado (73%)
5.15.05
You gotta love that the only ingredients are organic cacao beans, organic evaporated cane juice, organic cacao butter, and love. And ya gotta love that it’s organic and fair trade. We love that there’s nothing to get in the way of the chocolate flavor – it’s just pure, dark chocolatey goodness, smooth and rich.
Our rating: 4.25 of 5 bon bons
Lime
6.15.05
The scent of fresh limes came wafting out of the wrapper as we opened it. What a fun chocolate! This zesty combination is a bit like biting into a tropical beach party. Another winner from Dagoba chocolate.
Our rating: 4.5 of 5 bon bons
Hazelnut (37%)
6.22.05
Sweet, rich, and we just can’t make up our minds about this one. To me, it tastes a bit like a decadent, high-quality Kit Kat. Researcher #2 thought it very sweet with an undertone of caramel. Or is that the hazelnut flavor? The texture is nice, and it does seem richer than most milks. Suffice it to say, we’d be happy to be stranded with a box of these, but might prefer another of Dagoba’s flavors.
Our rating: 3 of 5 bon bons
Latte
8.28.05
A pleasant blend of coffee and chocolate. Very smooth and quite delish, but the die-hard coffee fans may think there’s not enough coffee, and the die-hard chocolate fans may think the opposite.
Our rating: 3.5 of 5 bon bons
Pacuare (68%)
4.30.06
We tried hard to find something wrong. Is it overpackaged? No, the paperboard jacket is recyclable. Is it not organic? Wait, it is, it’s just not plastered all over the wrapper. Isn’t it a tiny bit brittle? Not for a 68%! Dagoba has a real winner with this Trinitario from Costa Rica. Elegant packaging gives way to a pungent dark aroma. The first bite was sweet, followed by deep, dark, and rich, with a fruity finish and absolutely no bitterness. Five minutes after the fact, we still have a delicious taste in our mouths. Way to go, Dagoba!
Our rating: 5 of 5 bon bons
hello. I hope that someone replies to me…I have a question about dagoba serving sizes. I am eating the conacado…it says serving size…1 bar. Wait, but they are split into little tiny bars. But it seems like a lot of fat and calories for just one little bar….So is a serving size one of the little pieces or the entire thing? There is no “serving per bar” number….
The serving size is for the entire thing. Hope you are enjoying the Conacado! Yum!
Dagoba Lavender is my favorite. Chai would be the second.