by The Chocolate Salon Comment Closed

We are proud to present the results of the 2023 CHOCOLATE BAR AWARDS Competition.

The International Chocolate Salon Awards for the 2023 CHOCOLATE BAR AWARDS are based on the combined total number of votes received by each entrant from the Judging Panel.

The Judging Panel consists of National and Regional Magazines, Newspaper and Blog Editors, plus Topic Experts, Local Chefs and Food Gurus.

The award winners below have the honor of being able to display and use the Official Award Winner title and award logos, as well as use items (such as the Award Winner lapel pin), as well as use Custom Award Certificates, and logo award merchandise.

2023 CHOCOLATE BAR AWARD RESULTS

 

Best Ingredient Combinations

 

GOLD

  • Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar

SILVER

  • Panache Chocolatier Sunflower Butter Bar

BRONZE

  • Delysia Chocolatier Hummingbird Cake Chocolate Bar
  • Lambrecht Gourmet Bumble Berry Bark Bar

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72%
  • Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar

Best Taste

 

GOLD

  • Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar

SILVER

  • Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar

BRONZE

  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72%

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Lambrecht Gourmet Bumble Berry Bark Bar
  • Delysia Chocolatier Hibiscus Green Tea Chocolate Bar
  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 85% DARK OKO CARIBE

Best Texture

 

GOLD

  • Stella's Confectionery Peanut Butter Melt

SILVER

  • Lambrecht Gourmet Peanut Butter Crunch Bark Bar
  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 75% Santa Maria Cahabón (Guatemala)
  • The Oakland Chocolate Company Cocoa nibs Bar

BRONZE

  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 85% DARK OKO CARIBE
  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles LLC Gold Dulce de Léché
  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 70% DARK OKO CARIBE
  • Moka Origins Ghana Dark Chocolate 72%

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar
  • Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar
  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72%
  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 40% Tanzanian Milk Chocolate (Kokoa Kamili)
  • Delysia Chocolatier Hummingbird Cake Chocolate Bar
  • Stella's Confectionery Coffee Noir
  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 50% MILK
  • Moka Origins Dark Milk 58%

Most Unique

 

GOLD

  • Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar

SILVER

  • Panache Chocolatier Sunflower Butter Bar

BRONZE

  • Delysia Chocolatier Hibiscus Green Tea Chocolate Bar

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar
  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles LLC Gold Dulce de Léché
  • Delysia Chocolatier Hummingbird Cake Chocolate Bar

Best Dark Chocolate Bar

 

GOLD

  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72%

SILVER

  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 80% Dark Orange (Semuliki Forest, Uganda)

BRONZE

  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 85% DARK OKO CARIBE
  • Moka Origins Ghana Dark Chocolate 72%

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar
  • Stella's Confectionery Coffee Noir
  • The Oakland Chocolate Company Cocoa nibs Bar
  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 70% DARK OKO CARIBE

Best Milk Chocolate Bar

 

GOLD

  • Moka Origins Dark Milk 58%
  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 40% Tanzanian Milk Chocolate (Kokoa Kamili)

SILVER

  • Stella's Confectionery Peanut Butter Melt

BRONZE

  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 50% MILK

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles LLC Gold Dulce de Léché

Best Flavored Chocolate Bar

 

GOLD

  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 80% Dark Orange (Semuliki Forest, Uganda)

SILVER

  • Delysia Chocolatier Hibiscus Green Tea Chocolate Bar

BRONZE

  • Stella's Confectionery Peanut Butter Melt
  • Lambrecht Gourmet Peanut Butter Crunch Bark Bar
  • Panache Chocolatier Sunflower Butter Bar
  • Stella's Confectionery Coffee Noir
  • Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Delysia Chocolatier Hummingbird Cake Chocolate Bar
  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72%
  • Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar
  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 70% DARK OKO CARIBE

Best Bar Design & Art (non packaging)

 

GOLD

  • Lambrecht Gourmet Bumble Berry Bark Bar

SILVER

  • Delysia Chocolatier Hibiscus Green Tea Chocolate Bar
  • Lambrecht Gourmet Peanut Butter Crunch Bark Bar

BRONZE

  • Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Delysia Chocolatier Hummingbird Cake Chocolate Bar

Best Chocolate Bar

 

GOLD

  • Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar

SILVER

  • Lambrecht Gourmet Peanut Butter Crunch Bark Bar
  • Moka Origins Ghana Dark Chocolate 72%

BRONZE

  • Delysia Chocolatier Hibiscus Green Tea Chocolate Bar
  • Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar
  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72%
  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 40% Tanzanian Milk Chocolate (Kokoa Kamili)

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Lambrecht Gourmet Bumble Berry Bark Bar
  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles LLC Gold Dulce de Léché
  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 80% Dark Orange (Semuliki Forest, Uganda)

4.5 STARS

  • Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar
  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 80% Dark Orange (Semuliki Forest, Uganda)

4 STARS

  • Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar
  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 85% DARK OKO CARIBE
  • Moka Origins Dark Milk 58%
  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72%
  • Panache Chocolatier Sunflower Butter Bar
  • Stella's Confectionery Peanut Butter Melt
  • KakaoZon Chocolate 72% Ecuadorian Dark Chocolate
  • Moka Origins Ghana Dark Chocolate 72%
  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 40% Tanzanian Milk Chocolate (Kokoa Kamili)
  • Stella's Confectionery Coffee Noir

3.5 STARS

  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 50% MILK
  • Lambrecht Gourmet Bumble Berry Bark Bar
  • GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel 70% DARK OKO CARIBE
  • The Oakland Chocolate Company Cocoa nibs Bar
  • Lambrecht Gourmet Peanut Butter Crunch Bark Bar
  • Sandhill Chocolate Company 75% Santa Maria Cahabón (Guatemala)
  • KakaoZon Chocolate 63% Ecuadorian Dark Chocolate with Pineapple
  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles LLC Gold Dulce de Léché
  • Delysia Chocolatier Hibiscus Green Tea Chocolate Bar
  • Chocono S.A. Sugar Free Middle of The World 56% Cacao
  • Delysia Chocolatier Hummingbird Cake Chocolate Bar

JUDGES' COMMENTS

FAVORITES

  • Sandhill Dark Orange, Stella's Choc Noir,
  • Delysia Chocolatier Hummingbird Cake Chocolate Bar
  • For all around satisfying taste and texture, I loved the Smokehouse Nut Bar from Panache Chocolatier.
  • I found the Middle Eastern flavor combination of Delysia's Cardamom Pistachio Rose bar. so wonderfully complex and exotic. Just loved it.
  • I also enjoyed the quality and depth of the following bars: Moka's 58% Dark Milk, Choco's 85%, and Sandhill's Santa Maria Cahabón -- all excellent.
  • Panache Smokehouse Nut Bar had distinct nut flavors, good chocolate, a little bit of heat, and mild smokiness — good balance among all of the elements
  • Panache-SMOKE HOUSE
  • This was so close. This time I am going with the Moka Origins 72 % from Tanzania, there are several runner ups.
  • I loved the Panache sunflower butter with its notes of strawberry rhubarb and that soft buttery center. Perfection.
  • Delysia's Hibiscus White Choc Bar was delightfully unique with its wafting herbaceous finish
  • Lambrecht Gourmet Peanut Butter Crunch Bark Bar
  • This was tough. My 3 personal faves are Delysia's Cardamom Pistachio Rose, Sandhill's Dark Orange, and Stella's Coffee Noir. Outstanding!
  • I typically prefer dark chocolate, but the stand out bar was Lambrecht Gourmet Peanut Butter Crunch Bark Bar in milk chocolate. The balance of creamy peanut butter, pretzel crunch and milk chocolate was superb. To add to the wonderful experience is the incredible cacao pod molding of the bar with the add-on ingredients embedded on the back of the bar, visually stunning.
  • When it comes to chocolate, you can't go wrong with Delysia Chocolatier. Their Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar hit all the right notes and perfectly blended the ingredients for a truly rapturous experience. Simple elegance as a square bar with a heart imprint in the corner that's guilded in gold luster.
  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72% was simplicity at its best. The quality of the chocolate stood out on its own as it unfolds the many layers of flavors. Pair it with the tart and luscious dry cherry and the combination sings in the mouth.
  • Stella's Confectionary Peanut Butter Melt
  • Moka Origins Cherry Dark Chocolate 72%
  • Tie - Panache Chocolatier Smokehouse Nut Bar, Delysia Chocolatier Cardamom Pistachio Rose Dark Chocolate Bar

COMMENTS & QUOTES

  • Sandhill Dark Orange - the balance of ingredients was perfect, not too sweet, with a subtle lingering taste of orange on the tongue.
  • Kudos to Moka for their informative packaging that educates the purchaser as it emphasizes how the company makes a difference in cacao growing and chocolate production.
  • Dylesia always has delicious choices All of the submissions were excellent. They would have been alternatives to top personal favorite. The Depth of flavors is outstanding.
  • I found the Mika Origins would be great with a Pinot Noir.
  • Sandhill had a wide variety of countries of origin and flavors. Quite good.. Stella's Peanut Butter melt evokes a childhood enjoying peanut butter.
  • All of the Grupo Cima varieties were smooth and easy to enjoy. The depth and range of flavors was particularly delicious.
  • Kakaozon was just under the taste radar, but also easy to enjoy the finish of the 72% Ecuador
  • We called the Lambrecht Milk Choc w/ pretzel & PB "Trick or Treat in a Bar"
  • (Stella's Coffee Noir): Drop that coffee right now. Doesn't matter if it's instant or home brewed—Stella's Coffee Noir is the only pick-up you need in the morning. The microscopic grains of texture give your tongue a mini massage, while the velvet-smooth dark chocolate and coffee dance the tango with a rose stem. Carpe diem? No, Carpe cacao!
  • (Sandhill's Dark Orange): This bar carries with it the wisdom of grandmothers, the memories of their stories told by the fire in late summer evenings... a warm and mythic flavor of clove that mixes with oranges and figs and sends you off to a soul-filling dreamland.
  • (Delysia's Cardamom Pistachio Rose): The moment this bar touches water (your mouth), it blooms. The chocolate melts down to a rich pistachio filling, while the rose, spritzed by citrus, twists around the cardamom and wafts through your sinuses. This is chocolate heaven.. so fragrant you can taste every molecule. Consumer beware: this bar will send you into ecstasies.
  • The Oakland Chocolate Company's Cocoa Nibs Bar never disappoints. I love the attention and care that's used in creating the chocolate and the added nibs for a little crunch.
  • Panache Chocolatier's Sunflower Butter Bar was a wonderful experience. Very nice chocolate experience and a great option for those who can't have tree nuts!
  • I loved all the GRUPO CIMA DORADA SRL Chocopunto by Mabel bars. Oh so creamy in texture, their unique flavor profiles from the different regions lended to the smooth and delectable flavor experiences.
  • All of the fruit flavorings were subtle but bright, complementing the confections.
  • Panache entries are notable for the freshness of the ingredients, ratio of toppings to chocolate, overall texture and design, a perennial favorite.
  • Sandhill - notable for sensory guide on packaging and overall quality and distinct character.
  • Moka -most informative packaging ever. You could write an article just by reading the wrapper. Overall quality very good.
  • Lambrecht - superb design, unique shapes and high quality ingredients, excellent use of strawberry powder and freeze dried ingredients.
  • Delysia - beautiful colors and visual appeal, marks for expertly interpreting a southern cake flavor, always a surprise from them. Strong showing and very gratifying to evaluate these artisanal products."
  • All were wonderful. So hard to judge..Great chocolate bars!
    To Moka, Lambrect and Kakao Zon --
    dried fruits (such as your dried cherries, strawberries, blueberries and pineapple) most often are lacking in flavor. They seem to add little more than texture (chewiness) and visual appeall. A flavor boost such as from a fruit extract, oil, or liqueur, can help to fulfill the promise of their presence."
    Panache Chocolatier - wished the smokedhouse nut bar was slightly more pronounced with a smoke flavor, however, too much smoke would ruin the flavors. Stella's Confectionery Coffee Noir bar - it would be nicer if texture wasn't so gritty. I'd rather taste the coffee than eat it. Some of the inclusion bars could benefit from a little salt to balance the sweetness. Delysia Hibiscius green tea was overwhelmed by the mint."

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