Chof

Best Ecuador Chocolate

The 184 best Ecuadorian chocolate bars on Chof made with cacao from Ecuador, ranked by the Chof Score.

Reviewed byFelipeIICCT Certified Chocolate TasterInternational Chocolate Awards Judge

The Ecuador regions named most often on these bars are Esmeraldas, Los Ríos, Guayaquil and Cerecita Valley. Makers most often list the cacao as Nacional, Trinitario and Criollo. Across these bars, the notes that repeat most are Floral, Nutty, Honey, Caramel, Red Fruit and Citrus.

Ranked by the Chof Score

  1. Rank 37:
    Labooko Ecuador 60% 60% dark bar packaging by Zotter
    Zotter

    Labooko Ecuador 60%

    60%darkEcuador
  2. Rank 38:
    Esmeraldas 70% 70% dark bar packaging by Green Bean to Bar Chocolate
    Green Bean to Bar Chocolate

    Esmeraldas 70%

    70%darkEcuador
    2 awards
  3. Rank 39:
    Vinces 70% 70% dark bar packaging by Huma Chocolate
    Huma Chocolate

    Vinces 70%

    70%darkEcuador
  4. Rank 40:
    Cocoa Nibs 80% 80% dark bar packaging by HÖGANÄS
    HÖGANÄS

    Cocoa Nibs 80%

    80%darkEcuador
  5. Rank 41:
    Pearl of Ecuador Black 100% 100% dark bar packaging by Heinde & Verre
    Heinde & Verre

    Pearl of Ecuador Black 100%

    100%darkEcuador
    1 award
  6. Rank 42:
    Equateur Esmeralda Noir 70% 70% dark bar packaging by Chocolaterie Morin
    Chocolaterie Morin

    Equateur Esmeralda Noir 70%

    70%darkEcuador
    2 awards
  7. Rank 43:
    Guayaquil 70% 70% dark bar packaging by Huma Chocolate
    Huma Chocolate

    Guayaquil 70%

    70%darkEcuador
  8. Rank 44:
    Sofia 75% 75% dark bar packaging by Ór Dubh Chocolate
    Ór Dubh Chocolate

    Sofia 75%

    75%darkEcuador
  9. Rank 45:
    Bines à l'érable 85% 85% dark bar packaging by Palette de Bine
    Palette de Bine

    Bines à l'érable 85%

    85%darkEcuador
  10. Rank 46:
    Esmeraldas 70% 70% dark bar packaging by Huma Chocolate
    Huma Chocolate

    Esmeraldas 70%

    70%darkEcuador
    1 award
  11. Rank 47:
    Stratus 70% dark bar packaging by SOMA
    SOMA

    Stratus

    70%darkEcuador
    3 awards
  12. Rank 48:
    Isländskt Havssalt 73% 73% dark bar packaging by Wermlands Choklad
    Wermlands Choklad

    Isländskt Havssalt 73%

    73%darkEcuador
  13. Rank 49:
    Stranger 70% dark bar packaging by Stranger
    Stranger

    Stranger

    70%darkEcuador
  14. Rank 50:
    Cotopaxi 70% 70% dark bar packaging by Huma Chocolate
    Huma Chocolate

    Cotopaxi 70%

    70%darkEcuador
  15. Rank 51:
    Palo Santo 85% dark bar packaging by kamm
    kamm

    Palo Santo

    85%darkEcuador
  16. Rank 52:
    Michigan Blueberry 67% 67% dark bar packaging by Mindo Chocolate
    Mindo Chocolate

    Michigan Blueberry 67%

    67%darkEcuador
  17. Rank 53:
    Esmeraldas 42% 42% milk bar packaging by Original Beans
    Original Beans

    Esmeraldas 42%

    42%milkEcuador
  18. Rank 54:
    Esmeralda Lait 48% 48% milk bar packaging by Chocolaterie Morin
    Chocolaterie Morin

    Esmeralda Lait 48%

    48%milkEcuador
    6 awards
  19. Rank 55:
    San Jose del Tambo 70% dark bar packaging by Askinosie
    Askinosie

    San Jose del Tambo

    70%darkEcuador
    4 awards
  20. Rank 56:
    85% Cacao 85% dark bar packaging by kamm
    kamm

    85% Cacao

    85%darkEcuador
  21. Rank 57:
    75% Ecuador Nacional Arriba Tsáchila 75% dark bar packaging by Chocolatoa
    Chocolatoa

    75% Ecuador Nacional Arriba Tsáchila

    75%darkEcuador
  22. Rank 58:
    Forest & Sea 65% dark bar packaging by Kasama Chocolate
    Kasama Chocolate

    Forest & Sea

    65%darkEcuador
    2 awards
  23. Rank 59:
    Sea Salt 67% 67% dark bar packaging by Mindo Chocolate
    Mindo Chocolate

    Sea Salt 67%

    67%darkEcuador
  24. Rank 60:
    Stuart's Smile 60% milk bar packaging by Blue Spruce Chocolates
    Blue Spruce Chocolates

    Stuart's Smile

    60%milkEcuador
  25. Rank 61:
    Earl Grey 70% 70% dark bar packaging by Beskid Chocolate
    Beskid Chocolate

    Earl Grey 70%

    70%darkEcuador
  26. Rank 62:
    70% Rustic 70% dark bar packaging by Mindo Chocolate
    Mindo Chocolate

    70% Rustic

    70%darkEcuador
  27. Rank 63:
    Las Peñas 90% 90% dark bar packaging by Martin Mayer Schokoladen
    Martin Mayer Schokoladen

    Las Peñas 90%

    90%darkEcuador
    1 award
  28. Rank 64:
    Black Velvet 72% 72% dark bar packaging by Hogarth
    Hogarth

    Black Velvet 72%

    72%darkEcuador
  29. Rank 65:
    Esmeralda Noir 100% 100% dark bar packaging by Chocolaterie Morin
    Chocolaterie Morin

    Esmeralda Noir 100%

    100%darkEcuador
  30. Rank 66:
    Palermo 60% dark bar packaging by Sabadi
    Sabadi

    Palermo

    60%darkEcuador
  31. Rank 67:
    Bourbon Vanilla 53% 53% milk bar packaging by HÖGANÄS
    HÖGANÄS

    Bourbon Vanilla 53%

    53%milkEcuador
  32. Rank 68:
    100 x 100 85% dark bar packaging by kamm
    kamm

    100 x 100

    85%darkEcuador
  33. Rank 69:
    Cacao Pulp 65% 65% dark bar packaging by mashPi
    mashPi

    Cacao Pulp 65%

    65%darkEcuador
  34. Rank 70:
    72% 72% dark bar packaging by Hoja Verde
    Hoja Verde

    72%

    72%darkEcuador
  35. Rank 71:
    80% 80% dark bar packaging by Hoja Verde
    Hoja Verde

    80%

    80%darkEcuador
    1 award
  36. Rank 72:
    100% 100% dark bar packaging by Hoja Verde
    Hoja Verde

    100%

    100%darkEcuador
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About Ecuador cacao

What is Ecuador chocolate known for?

Ecuadorian chocolate is known for the floral, jasmine-like character of its native Nacional cacao, often called Arriba, alongside fresh green and lightly spicy notes. Ecuador is one of the oldest cacao origins in the world, and its bars range from delicate single-estate Nacional to bolder, fruitier modern hybrids.

Nacional is the variety that made Ecuador famous. At its best it gives a clean, perfumed, almost floral cup that many makers treat as a benchmark for elegance rather than power. The name Arriba comes from cacao that was historically shipped down-river to the coast, and the term still signals that classic aromatic style.

Ecuador is also a large producer of the high-yield CCN-51 hybrid, which is bolder and more acidic and is used widely in commercial chocolate. When you buy a craft Ecuadorian bar it is worth checking whether it is Nacional or a named hybrid, because the two taste quite different.

Top makers using Ecuador cacao

Popular cocoa percentages for Ecuador

Frequently asked about Ecuador chocolate

  • What does Ecuadorian chocolate taste like?

    Classic Nacional cacao from Ecuador tastes floral and aromatic, with jasmine, fresh herb and gentle spice notes and a soft acidity. Bars made from modern hybrids are bolder and fruitier. The style depends heavily on the variety, so the wrapper is worth reading.

  • What is Nacional or Arriba cacao?

    Nacional is Ecuador's heritage cacao variety, prized for its floral aroma. Arriba is the traditional trade name for it, from beans shipped down-river to port. Both terms point to the same delicate, perfumed style that built Ecuador's reputation in fine chocolate.

  • How are the best Ecuador chocolate bars chosen?

    The Ecuador bars are ordered by the Chof Score, an internal quality signal built from what the maker discloses: how precisely the origin is named, how clean the ingredient list is (no PGPR, vanillin or vegetable fats), how much of the fermenting, drying and roasting is documented, and what lab evidence exists. The exact weights are deliberately not shown: the ranking is a tasting starting point, not an absolute leaderboard. Community ratings are shown on each bar but do not move this ranking.

  • What do the Ecuador bars on Chof have in common?

    The Ecuador regions named most often on these bars are Esmeraldas, Los Ríos, Guayaquil and Cerecita Valley. Makers most often list the cacao as Nacional, Trinitario and Criollo. Across these bars, the notes that repeat most are Floral, Nutty, Honey, Caramel, Red Fruit and Citrus.

  • How many Ecuador chocolate bars are listed on Chof?

    Chof currently lists 184 chocolate bars made with cacao from Ecuador.

  • Which makers work with Ecuador cacao on Chof?

    Ordered by how many bars each has, the makers using Ecuador cacao on Chof start with Paccari, Hoja Verde, Hogarth, Chokaico and HÖGANÄS.

  • What cocoa percentages of Ecuador chocolate are most common?

    The most common cocoa percentages for Ecuador cacao on Chof are 70%, 60%, 75%, 85% and 100%.

  • Which brands make Ecuador chocolate?

    79 chocolate makers on Chof work with Ecuador cacao. Each bar links to the brand that made it.

  • Where can I find Ecuadorian chocolate brands?

    Chof lists 184 Ecuadorian chocolate bars made with cacao from Ecuador, from 79 different makers. Browse them above.

Cacao varieties in Ecuador chocolate

Bean varieties the makers of these bars list for Ecuador, as stated on the label. Open one to see what it is, how it tastes, and how to tell a real one.

Learn more

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