Best Nicaragua Chocolate
The 61 best Nicaraguan chocolate bars on Chof made with cacao from Nicaragua, ranked by the Chof Score.
The Nicaragua regions named most often on these bars are Waslala, Matagalpa, Northern Nicaragua and El Castillo. Makers most often list the cacao as Trinitario, Criollo and Nacional. Across these bars, the notes that repeat most are Caramel, Citrus, Nutty, Honey, Raisin and Coffee.
Ranked by the Chof Score
- Rank 1:
Friis HolmBarba 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 2:
Friis HolmDon Alfonso 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 3:
Friis HolmMedagla 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 4:
ZOTORugoso 75%
75%darkNicaragua - Rank 5:
Friis HolmChuno 70% Double Turned
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 6:
Friis HolmNicaliso 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 7:
20nord20sudKubaly Waslala 72%
72%darkNicaragua - Rank 8:
Goodnow FarmsEl Carmen Nicaragua 77%
77%darkNicaragua - Rank 9:
MaüaNicaragua 70% Flor de Sal
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 10:
MaüaNicaragua 75%
75%darkNicaragua - Rank 11:
Friis HolmNicaliso Green Cinnamon 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 12:
Friis HolmRugoso 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 13:
Friis HolmJohe 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 14:
MesjokkeD.A.R.C. Angel
72%darkNicaragua - Rank 15:
Friis HolmLa Dalia 100%, The Lazy Cocoa Growers Blend
100%darkNicaragua - Rank 16:
Friis HolmChuno 70% Triple Turned Single Bean
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 17:
ZOTOEl Castillero Trinitario Blend
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 18:
Friis HolmRugoso 70% Bad Fermentation
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 19:
ChocolatoaNicaragua Raan Comucor 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 20:
MesjokkeWinter Spiced
72%darkNicaragua - Rank 21:
LivstoryNicaragua O'Tuma 100%
100%darkNicaragua - Rank 22:
The Heart of CacaoNicaragua O'Payo 70% Pure
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 23:
La Fleur de Chocolat72% Nicaragua Bean to Bar Chocolate
72%darkNicaragua - Rank 24:
MaüaPulpa de Cacao 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 25:
Standout ChocolateSwedish Fika / Coffee & Cinnamon Bun
69%darkNicaragua - Rank 26:
Friis HolmLa Dalia 85%
85%darkNicaragua - Rank 27:
Friis HolmO'Payo Milk Sansho 50% with Green Sansho Pepper
50%milkNicaragua - Rank 28:
Nordic ChocolateBlåbär
65%darkNicaragua - Rank 29:
Friis HolmO'Payo Milk 50%
50%milkNicaragua - Rank 30:
TërtNicaragua O'Tuma
darkNicaragua - Rank 31:
Friis HolmO'Payo 68%
68%darkNicaragua - Rank 32:
ArgencoveApoyo 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 33:
Nordic ChocolateNicaragua 75%
75%darkNicaragua - Rank 34:
Storm & BilleKaffenibs 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 35:
ZotterLabooko Nicaragua 70%
70%darkNicaragua - Rank 36:
TaucherliChuno 72%
72%darkNicaragua
What is Nicaragua chocolate known for?
Nicaraguan chocolate is smooth and nutty, with caramel, soft red fruit and a mild acidity that makes it easy to like. Cacao grows mainly around Matagalpa, Waslala and the Rio San Juan, and the country retains Criollo genetics that give its best bars a gentle, rounded character.
Nicaragua sits in a comfortable middle ground between the bright acidity of Madagascar and the deep cocoa of West Africa. Expect nuts, caramel and a restrained fruitiness rather than anything sharp, which makes Nicaraguan bars a good introduction to single-origin chocolate.
The country holds pockets of old Criollo and Criollo-influenced cacao, prized for low bitterness. Growing areas in the north around Matagalpa and Waslala, and in the south by the Rio San Juan, supply a steady flow of beans to craft makers across Europe and North America.
Top makers using Nicaragua cacao
Popular cocoa percentages for Nicaragua
Frequently asked about Nicaragua chocolate
What does Nicaraguan chocolate taste like?
Gentle is the word: toasted nut and caramel with a restrained fruitiness and none of the sharpness of high-acid origins. If you are choosing a first single-origin bar, Nicaragua is one of the most likeable places to start.
Which regions of Nicaragua grow cacao?
Chiefly Matagalpa and Waslala in the north and the Rio San Juan area in the south. Between them these regions supply much of the fine Nicaraguan cacao used by craft makers in Europe and North America.
How are the best Nicaragua chocolate bars chosen?
The Nicaragua 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 Nicaragua bars on Chof have in common?
The Nicaragua regions named most often on these bars are Waslala, Matagalpa, Northern Nicaragua and El Castillo. Makers most often list the cacao as Trinitario, Criollo and Nacional. Across these bars, the notes that repeat most are Caramel, Citrus, Nutty, Honey, Raisin and Coffee.
How many Nicaragua chocolate bars are listed on Chof?
Chof currently lists 61 chocolate bars made with cacao from Nicaragua.
Which makers work with Nicaragua cacao on Chof?
Ordered by how many bars each has, the makers using Nicaragua cacao on Chof start with Friis Holm, Argencove, Zotter, Nordic Chocolate and Maüa.
What cocoa percentages of Nicaragua chocolate are most common?
The most common cocoa percentages for Nicaragua cacao on Chof are 70%, 72%, 50%, 75% and 65%.
Which brands make Nicaragua chocolate?
29 chocolate makers on Chof work with Nicaragua cacao. Each bar links to the brand that made it.
Where can I find Nicaraguan chocolate brands?
Chof lists 61 Nicaraguan chocolate bars made with cacao from Nicaragua, from 29 different makers. Browse them above.
Cacao varieties in Nicaragua chocolate
Bean varieties the makers of these bars list for Nicaragua, 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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