Dagoba is an organic chocolatier with an important place in the history of tea chocolates. Without Dagoba's success with the Chai Chocolate Bar and the success of many other chocolate companies with Earl Grey chocolate truffles, I doubt Vosges' Matcha Exotic Candy Bar, Charles Chocolates' tea chocolates collection, Smile Chocolatiers' "choclatea" tea chocolates line and The Tea Room's tea-infused chocolate bars would exist. While Dagoba brought "tea" chocolates to the national stage, it's interesting to note that their Chai Chocolate bar is not actually tea-infused -- it contains masala chai spices, but no real tea.
Chai Chocolate's Flavor & Texture
The flavor of Dagoba's Chai Chocolate is much like a chocolate chai latte. It is made with crystallized ginger and "chai essence" (a blend of masala chai spices), but it contains no tea and has a milk chocolate base, so it has none of the astringency of black tea or dark chocolate. It's a smooth, creamy milk chocolate with a full, spicy ginger-cinnamon flavor and a strong presence of clove and cardamom. The chocolate itself has an almost fruity sweetness to it that counterbalances the spices a bit. It has a pleasing, lingering aftertaste. Personally, I would prefer that it had black tea as an ingredient, but I generally like my chocolate to be more astringent and less sweet than the average person.
The texture is refreshingly unconventional. The chocolate is dense and the bar is shaped into thin segments that break off easily, so snacking on little bits is both enjoyable and easy. This is normal enough for a specialty chocolate bar, but what sets it apart is the crystallized ginger, which gives it a crispy mouthfeel somewhat reminiscent of a chocolate-covered cookie.
The texture is refreshingly unconventional. The chocolate is dense and the bar is shaped into thin segments that break off easily, so snacking on little bits is both enjoyable and easy. This is normal enough for a specialty chocolate bar, but what sets it apart is the crystallized ginger, which gives it a crispy mouthfeel somewhat reminiscent of a chocolate-covered cookie.
Pairing Capabilities
This is an excellent chocolate for pairings. I would suggest eating it alongside a cup of Yemeni coffee, masala chai (with or without milk and sugar), black tea (particularly Yunnan black tea) and certain dark roast oolongs.
Overall Opinion
When it comes to tea-infused chocolates, I'm a bit spoiled. I much prefer the tea truffles from Charles Chocolates, which have a pronounced tea taste. However, for the price point, availability and wide appeal of this product, it's definitely worth trying.
