Over the past fifteen years, I’ve literally sampled thousands of dairy-free products. Many are quite good, but few make me want to run to the store. Taza Chocolate is in that elite group. In fact, I’m updating this review because I spotted Taza Chocolate on sale. I couldn’t resist picking up a couple new flavors and certainly wasn’t disappointed.
Unlike other chocolate on the market, Taza Chocolate Mexicano Discs are stone ground with Oaxacan stone mills rather than steel refiners. The company’s technique uses minimal processing to keep the cacao “raw” and to protect its pure goodness. The result is chocolate with simple ingredients, but flavors that are quite complex. It also creates a unique consistency that has “true grit”, as they say.
Tasting Notes for Taza Chocolate Mexicano Discs
My taste buds proclaimed a little “wow” upon first bite of a Taza Chocolate Disc. The chocolate itself has sweet, rich, fruity notes that are complemented by the lightly coarse grind, which dissolves with each bite like rough coconut sugar. The discs come in several rustic flavors. I’ve included full details for the ones I’ve tried below, followed by a quick list of the rest.
Salted Almond
Though I’ve never been a huge fruit with chocolate fan, I find the fruitiness in this Taza Chocolate incredibly addictive. The bits of nuttiness are complimentary while the salt is gentle rather than a punch in the face like some salted chocolates. It just pumps up the flavor a notch.
Ingredients: organic cane sugar, organic cacao beans, organic almonds, sea salt. contains almonds. may contain traces of other tree nuts and sesame seeds.
Nutrition (per 1.35-ounce disc): 210 calories, 11g fat, 23g carbs, 2g fiber, 20g sugars, 3g protein.*
Vanilla
At first, the fruity undertones of the chocolate emerge and almost overpower. But it melts away into a gritty, warm vanilla that dances with the bold cacao and lingers as a wonderful aftertaste.
Ingredients: organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic vanilla beans. contains traces of almonds, cashews, coconut, hazelnuts and pecans.
Nutrition (per 1.35-ounce disc): 210 calories, 11g fat, 23g carbs, 3g fiber, 19g sugars, 3g protein.*
Chipotle Chili
It has many similarities with the Salted Almond but is a touch smoother and a less sweet, but still without bitterness. Of course, it has a good dose of spice and heat that really sneaks up on you!
Ingredients: organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic chipotle chili powder. may contain traces of tree nuts and sesame seeds.
Nutrition (per 1.35-ounce disc): 200 calories, 10g fat, 24g carbs, 3g fiber, 21g sugars, 3g protein.*
Spiked Eggnog (seasonal)
This was my most recent seasonal splurge, and is the one shown here. It’s the sweetest of the discs that I’ve tried with a definite eggnog meets chocolate flavor. The rum extract is a great way to give it that edge without adding alcohol and the spices are ever-present. Particularly in the aftertaste.
Ingredients: organic cacao beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic vanilla beans, organic rum extract, organic nutmeg, kosher salt. contains traces of almonds, cashews, coconut, hazelnuts and pecans.
Nutrition (per 1.35-ounce disc): 210 calories, 14g fat, 20g carbs, 3g fiber, 14g sugars, 3g protein.*
More Flavors of Taza Chocolate Discs
- Cacao Puro (70% dark chocolate made with just organic cacao beans and organic cane sugar)
- 85% Dark (also made with just organic cacao beans and organic cane sugar)
- Cinnamon
- Coffee
- Guajillo Chili
Supposedly Taza Chocolate is ideal for making hot chocolate, too, but not a single wedge of these discs has yet to make it into steaming hot water or almond milk in my home. I eat them all as is, one delicious nibble at a time.
More Facts on Taza Chocolate Mexicano Discs
Price: $5 per 2.7-ounce package (with 2 discs)
Availability: Taza Chocolate Discs are sold at Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, and other natural food stores in the U.S. You can also order them online from the company’s website below, Amazon, or Vitacost.
Certifications: Taza Chocolate Discs are Certified Organic, Certified Gluten Free, Certified Kosher Pareve, Direct Trade Certified, and Non-GMO Verified.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Taza Chocolate is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Select varieties are made without nuts.*
For More Product Information: Visit the Taza Chocolate at www.tazachocolate.com.
*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy.
Seconded on excellent taste — and caution about spice
I absolutely adore Taza’s chocolate discs and get at least one every time I stop at a Whole Foods. I like a little spice with my chocolate, so naturally the Chipotle Chili and Guajillo Chile are some of my favorites. Word of advice with those: as Alisa said, the spice can really sneak up on you, and the powdery texture of this chocolate can make spices seem even even more intense than they are because it dissolves in your mouth so easily. So try to take it slow. Key word being “try” lol. The chocolate is so good, with or without spice, that I have eaten an entire disc in one sitting and not regretted it despite my mouth being on fire.
11 Comments
I’m intrigued … would definitely like to give these discs a try!
Shirley
I think you would really like them Shirley. Definitely gfe approved, too 🙂
We have been eating and loving this chocolate for several years, ever since a friend brought some back from a trip to Massachusetts. We are so grateful that it is available here in Berkeley and that it is kosher and dairy free. We love the intense flavor and the rough texture.
Thank you for sharing your own review Ruchuma – so helpful!
I discovered this stuff in the US a couple of weeks ago and love it. Now that I am back in the UK I am trying to see whether there is a local supplier because when I returned and ate some Swiss chocolate here, it tasted so waxy in comparison, and I miss the Taza!
It is amazing, isn’t it! I bet if you email them, they can help connect you with a local supplier if there is one. Otherwise, some of the online U.S. stores might ship to the UK!
I really like this chocolate, however, it is a bit more chalky than creamy. That does not mean it is icky, but a different texture than I had been used to. In fact, I find that I prefer this chocolate to the more creamy chocolates, and certainly like the ingredients more 🙂
Agreed Kelly, it has a rustic quality that is quite addicting!
Is this chocolate Kosher? Can it be melted for use with molds?
I’m not sure if it is certified kosher, but by ingredients it is parve. This is more of a raw chocolate – I’m sure it could be melted, but you might want to look for standard dairy-free chocolate for molds. See our chocolate reviews in product reviews for options.
I’m OBSESSED with this chocolate, but I was wondering the same thing: Is this as undeniably amazing as I think it is, or is it just appealing to my particular taste?
I wouldn’t call myself a chocolate connoisseur; I just have a weakness for dark chocolate and have sampled more brands than I should. Thus far, Taza is one of my favorites.