Hope Endangered Species Espresso Chocolate

Each sale of these ethically traded espresso bean chocolate bars provides 10 percent of net profits to support "the species, habitat and humanity" of the animal pictured on the wrapper -- in this case, an endangered species of tiger. With 72 percent cocoa and a heaping dose of ground coffee beans, it's no wonder this is one of Hope's best sellers.

The packaging of this chocolate bar is informative and attractive. The interior of the wrapper includes tips on how you can help support endangered tigers. The exterior is clearly labeled, although it does make the (common) mistake of calling coffee beans espresso beans (rather than the more technically correct "espresso-roast coffee beans").

The bar itself has a nubby underside with a smooth, shiny texture on the top. Stylized icons of a tree are imprinted on the surface of the bar with one for each of the 15 small squares it is divided into.

As the name suggests, the bar smells like espresso and chocolate. Based on the aroma, my guess is it's made with Indonesian or Sumatran beans.

The texture of this chocolate bar is very gritty, as there are actual pieces of coarse-ground coffee beans mixed throughout it.

The flavor is sour, dark and heavily laden with coffee.

With such a full-flavored coffee chocolate, I'd suggest selecting a mellower coffee drink for pairings. My personal preference would be a cappuccino or a latte, but other milky coffee drinks would pair well, too.

This is not the best coffee chocolate I've ever tasted, but it's enjoyable and its heart is in the right place. Also, it does not skimp on coffee! I recommend it for the nature lover in your life and for those who like a serious coffee kick in their sweets.