Review: Vegan Chocolate Part 2
Ten more bars of (mostly) fun
Ok let’s get straight into it with part two. If you missed part 1 you can find it below, otherwise read on.
Vegan Chocolate Part 1
Look, it’s arguable that I should’ve got this review out in time for Christmas but chocolate is for life, so here it is, a few weeks later and as an antidote to all the January detox nonsense possibly floating around your feeds. This review gave me so much joy that it was virtually impossible to be cynical about it because we have so. much. choice. It wa…
Vego
Price: £2.99 for 65g - £3.45 per 100g
Flavour: Milk. Hazelnut
Thoughts: Back in the day Galaxy did a bar called Galaxy Hazelnut that I bought almost daily after school until they discontinued it without warning. For years I was devastated. Nothing gave me that sweet dirty kick like that creamy nutty bar and for a long time I couldn’t find another that came close. Except maybe Rittersport but in the 90s that was posh. This is the closest I’ve found and my teenage self is overjoyed. It’s a little on the thick side so your mouth gets a workout but it’s a great convenient bar of fun.
Rating: 4/5
Would I Buy it again? Try and stop me.
Rhythm 108
Price: £3.30 for 3 x 33g bars - £3.84 per 100g
Flavour: Dark. Hazelnut praline
Thoughts: Fun little, (emphasis on the word little) bars of joy which even though I love I feel short changed by as I eat all three bars in the same sitting. It’s not my fault it’s my brain. They’re soft and taste indulgent with tiny pieces of hazelnut sprinkled throughout. I love them but they’re not big enough.
Rating: 4/5
Would I Buy it again? Yes and I will berate myself each time when I’ve eaten them all before I’ve even left the car park, which may or may not have happened more than once.
Raw Halo
Price: £3 for 70g - £3.22 per 100g
Flavour: Milk. Vanilla
Thoughts: I wasn’t into the flavour of this at all. It was reasonable tasting milk chocolate with an unusual sweetness from Lucuma powder, something I’ve never had before but then a waft and taste of vanilla came at me and I very much wish it hadn’t.
Rating: 1/5
Would I Buy it again? Sorry but nope
Pico Hazelnut M*lk
Price: £3.49 per 80g - £4.36 per 100g
Flavour: Hazelnut M*lk
Thoughts: Excellently distributed hazelnuts which were chopped very fine. The milk chocolate wasn’t too sweet. Easy to eat, nice and thin and a large bar. Nothing remarkable about it which is perfect as it’s the kind of bar you can happily demolish without thinking. I loved it.
Rating: 4/5
Would I Buy it again? 100%. I’ve got to used to dark chocolate being vegan so it is a huge treat to find and enjoy the exact bar I used to love.
Pico Mint Crisp
Price: £3.49 for 80g - £4.36 per 100g
Flavour: Mint crisp
Thoughts: This was like a posh mint Matchmaker, something I haven’t had since the 90s and it took me back to Christmases where we pulled a box of these out shortly before falling asleep in front of some festive TV repeat. A trip down memory lane I’d be happy to never have again.
Rating: 3/5
Would I Buy it again? While I’m not a fan of mint flavoured anything, apart from toothpaste I’d consider a nibble if someone else had a bar.
Ombar
Price: £3.30 for 70g - £4.71 per 100g
Flavour: Hazelnut truffle
Thoughts: I feel shortchanged by chocolate that has nuts in the title but doesn’t feature a single nut other than in puree but that’s just my taste. Dull but adequate.
Rating: 2/5
Would I Buy it again? Probably not
LoveRaw
Price: £7.50 for 126g - £4.76 per 100g
Flavour: Nutty Choc Balls
Thoughts: These were a very late addition to this review after receiving some in a hamper I got for Christmas. I didn’t even know I missed Ferrero Rocher and after eating these I realise these are even better than the original.
Rating: 4/5 – Half a point deducted for not being gluten free and another half for how many emails I got from the company before I sensibly unsubscribed. You also only get nine in a box.
Would I Buy it again? Somebody stop me. I see an obsession developing even though they’ll make my insides scream.
Hu
Price: £3.50 for 60g - £5.83 per 100g
Flavour: Dark. Hazelnut butter
Thoughts: Being one of the more expensive bars I was hoping to be wooed but despite it being a reasonable bar with a centre of nut butter fun it wasn’t worth the cost.
Rating: 2/5
Would I Buy it again? No
NoMoSu
Price: £4.69 for 90g - £5.21 for 100g
Flavour: Dark. Hazelnut.
Thoughts: Tastes like it’s for people with a far more sophisticated than mine. It also reminds me of the vegan chocolate from circa 2017 when people didn’t know any better.
Rating: 2/5 – Nuts should be distributed throughout chocolate evenly, not just placed on one side to be bougie. Come on.
Would I Buy it again? There are other options I prefer.
Booja
Price: An eye-watering £6.50 for 92g - £7.07 per 100g
Flavour: Hazelnut crunch
Thoughts: Sensational, moreish bites of soft truffle with tiny pieces of hazelnut sprinkled throughout. Absolutely extortionate in price and barely a mouthful each but so very, very delicious.
Rating: 4/5
Would I Buy it again? A point deducted for the extortionate price which isn’t comparable to other chocolates but they’re so delicious I would absoloutely for a special occasion.
The Verdict
Even though it’s exactly what I’m doing I cannot put into words how much I enjoyed this review. Before becoming vegan I didn’t think twice about any sweet treat. I wanted it so I ate it. An impulsive till purchase of M&S chocolate covered Brazil nuts, or a snickers grabbed on the way to a netball match (back before I knew better), or the desperate comforting indulgence any time my period was imminent. Chocolate featured regularly in my life and it was a huge adjustment (far larger than bacon but on a par with cheese) when I took the plunge. In the early days there were few options and even fewer that I liked. But time has passed and I am so grateful for how many we have now.
I tried twenty variations and there are still many I didn’t get round to trying. BUT I WILL. Also there’s only so much chocolate I can endure before endless pimples appear that I must deal with immediately leaving me instantly regretful. I’m sorry but no review is worth bad skin.
My favourites were varied, all included nuts but the flavour options are endless and there’s something to suit everyone’s palette.
Forest Feast will remain in the top spot for me. M&S and Lindt are perfectly convenient delicious options priced reasonably. Love Raw balls are a true gift to us and a dense Vego bar can be eaten at speed with full enjoyment at any time of day.
I am thrilled.
Other brands I didn’t get round to trying:
Any I’ve missed and absoloutely have to try?
Freedom chocolate and conscious chocolate are delicious, the rhythm 108 big bars are much more of a treat than the small ones.
Rhythm 108 salted almond are the best! I think you mentioned liking salt in the Forest Feast almonds so highly recommend if you haven't tried already. I feel almonds are an underrated nut for chocolate compared to hazelnuts but they've been doing well recently with Forest Feast/Deliciously Ella