Dagoba Organic Chocolate ~ Sage and Savvy-Product Reviews, Giveaways, and More!

Even though I prefer milk chocolate over dark chocolate, I’ve been trying to eat more dark chocolate since I've read in lots of magazines how dark chocolate is higher in flavonoids, a compound with antioxidant properties. So when I received a box of dark chocolate goodies from Dagoba, I didn’t feel any guilt at all eating all of that chocolate.

According the website, “Dagoba was founded in 2001 by Frederick Schilling…He was determined to create exceptional, innovative chocolate that would benefit people, planet, and industry...His passion for chocolate developed while he was a chef looking for a career change, and experimented with chocolate and chai. 'I’m a huge fan of chai, and adding ginger to the chai-chocolate mix sent it over the top!'…After fine tuning formulations and scouring the world for the finest cacao, Frederick, his family and a few friends began pouring and wrapping the first bars by hand. Lavender and other creations joined chai to bring new flavors to the shelves, defining the innovative spirit that continues to this day.”

I was fortunate to try a variety of Dagoba organic dark chocolate bars (ARV $3.00 each) and some tasting squares in a sampler gift book (ARV $21.68) which included 24 tasting squares, 6 of each of Pacuare (Costa Rica), Los Rios (Ecuador), Milagros (Peru) and Sambirano (Madagascar).

I am by no means a chocolate expert, but I know what I like, and here’s what I thought of Dagoba's chocolates:

Bars:

Mint (Dark chocolate, mint, and rosemary essence). This was my favorite. I guess chocolate and mint always make a great combination.
Lavender Blueberry (Dark chocolate, lavender essence and wild blueberries): This was very delicious. At first I was a bit hesitant—lavender essence? But it was really good, and you could really taste that hint of lavender!
Beaucoup Berries (Rich dark chocolate, cranberries, cherries, and vanilla): I really enjoyed this combination of ingredients. It was very yummy!
Superfruit (Rich dark chocolate, acai, currants, and goji berries): I really enjoyed this combination as well.
New Moon (Rich dark chocolate): Smooth and rich, very delicious.
Eclipse (Extra strong dark chocolate): With 87% Cacao, I thought this bar would be too overwhelming, but it wasn’t. It was really good!
Xocolatl (Rich dark chocolate, chilies, and nibs): This was my least favorite, probably because I could taste that chili kick, and I just like my chocolate to taste sweet.

Tasting Squares:
Below are the descriptions of the chocolates in the gift book. Although I don’t have a refined palette and couldn’t distinguish all of the different flavors

and ingredients, they were all very, very delicious, with my favorite being the Milagros, because I could taste the hint of banana, and I love bananas.

Pacuare 68%, Costa Rican Trinitario, Cru. Upfront berry, fruit and golden raisin, with a lingering finish of hazelnut and caramel.
Los Rios 68%, Ecuador Arriba. Upfront cacao, followed by hints of flower and citrus, with a balanced astringency throughout.
Milagros 68%, Peruvian Amazon. Fair Trade Certified. Round and velvety mouthfeel enveloping notes of banana, orchid and warm spice. Long, intense and complex, ending with increased sweetness and nuances of pineapple.
The Sambirano 65%, Madagascar Trinitario. Distinct citrus and subtle tropical fruits lead to a finish of fig and sweet raisin.

Dagoba has won numerous awards for its chocolate, and I’m not surprised. Tasting these wonderful chocolates has been an adventure for me. With the unique combinations of flavors and ingredients, Dagoba truly offers innovative chocolate creations that all chocolate lovers would appreciate.
Shop: You can purchase chocolate bars, gift books, drinking chocolate, chocolate soap, and more on the Dagoba website, or click here for a list of retailers.
Win: Dagoba is generously sponsoring a giveaway so one lucky winner will receive a Tasting Squares 24 Count Gift Book (ARV $21.68).

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to Baba!

To enter, visit Dagoba and comment on which is your favorite product or which product you’d like to try.
You’ll get one extra entry each if you 1)Subscribe to my feed; 2) Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and Dagoba; 3)Add my button to your sidebar (be sure to leave a comment for each "entry").
The deadline for entries is February 2, 2009, 11:59pm HST.
An eligible entry will be chosen by random.org as the winner; the winner will be notified via email on February, 2009 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment) and will have 3 days to accept.
Valid for US addresses only.

Good luck!