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Dark chocolate reviews

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Last updated: 01 October 2020
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We blind taste test and compare 37 supermarket dark chocolate blocks, from brands including Cadbury, Lindt and Nestle to find the best.

  • Our interactive comparison tool helps you sort by price, % cocoa, sugar content and more, and our Recommended list quickly tells you the best dark chocolates.
  • Our dark chocolate buying guide highlights lowest and highest sugar dark chocolates, explains what makes chocolate 'good', and gives a simple guide to melting chocolate in the microwave.
  • We've partnered with Shop Ethical on this review to show the ratings that the Ethical Consumer Group give to each company (not product).
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How we test

Products

We tested 37 chocolate blocks labelled as ‘dark’ (including cooking/compound chocolate) that are available nationally in major supermarket chains. We excluded flavoured varieties.

Price is as purchased in Sydney stores (not on special) in August 2020.

Tasting

Our experts tasted the dark chocolate samples 'blind' (without knowing the brands). Two sets of samples (set A and set B) were prepared and posted to each expert. The tasting order was randomised for each expert.

The "A" tasting samples had all packaging removed, and identifying features on the chocolate surface (logo, pattern, etc.) were obscured. Each sample, regardless of the presence of identifying features, was treated the same. Each sample was tasted and independently judged on three criteria: aroma, texture and flavour.

The "B" presentation samples had all packaging removed, but any identifying features remained untouched. These samples were judged on one criterion only: appearance.

Scores

The CHOICE Expert Score is made up of 90% taste (35% flavour, 35% texture, 5% aroma and 25% appearance) and 10% nutrition (based on the Health Star Rating, calculated from the details in the nutrition information panel and converted to a percentage). We recommend products with a CHOICE Expert Score of 70% or more.

Matthew Steen
By Rachel Clemons
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Brand

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List of brands we tested in this review.

    Price

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    Pack price in Sydney supermarkets (not on special) in August 2020.

    enter value/s in increments of 1 between 2.19 and 6.9

    Recommended products

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    Member only

    This test score is for members only. Join now to unlock our expert results.

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    Percentage cocoa

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    % cocoa solids as per the ingredients list on pack.

    enter value/s in increments of i between 15 and 95

    Price per 100g

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    Based on the price paid for specified pack sizes in Sydney supermarkets (not on special) in August 2020.

    enter value/s in increments of i between 0.67 and 8.63

    Sugars/100g (g)

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    As per nutrition information panel on pack purchased.

    enter value/s in increments of i between 0.7 and 53.6

    Vegan

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    Suitable for vegans - contains no animal content

      Included in this review

      Members-only access
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      • Nutrition score
      • % cocoa
      • Vegan
      • Cooking chocolate
      • Shop Ethical Rating
      • Pack size (g)
      • Price
      • Price per 100g
      • Energy/100g (kJ)
      • Protein/100g (g)
      • Fat/100g (g)
      • Sat fat/100g (g)
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