The Dark Chocolate Continuum
From 70% to 100%: Find Your Dark Side This Veganuary
Veganuary doesn't mean giving up pleasure. It doesn't mean settling for chocolate that tastes like compromise. At Montezuma's, our entire dark chocolate range is naturally vegan, crafted without dairy, and designed to prove that plant-based chocolate can be absolutely extraordinary.
Whether you're exploring veganism for the first time or you're a seasoned dark chocolate devotee, there's a place for you on the cocoa spectrum. From the approachable sweetness of 70% to the bold intensity of 100%, each percentage tells a different story. Each bar offers a different experience.
This is your guide to finding your perfect dark chocolate match.
Understanding Cocoa Percentages
The percentage on a chocolate bar tells you how much of it is pure cacao versus other ingredients like sugar. A higher percentage means more cacao and less sweetness. But it's not just about numbers, it’s about flavour complexity, texture, and discovering what feels right for you.
Think of it as a journey. You don't have to start at 100% and white-knuckle your way through bitterness. You can explore gradually, discovering new depths of flavour as your palate evolves. Or you might find your sweet spot at 70% and stay there forever. There's no right or wrong way to love dark chocolate.
The Gateway
If you're new to dark chocolate or transitioning from milk chocolate during Veganuary, 70% is your welcoming introduction. There's still sweetness here, but it's balanced by the deep, rich notes of real cacao. This is dark chocolate that doesn't intimidate.
Tasting Notes
Balanced sweetness, smooth texture, gentle cocoa intensity with fruity undertones
The Next Step
For many dark chocolate lovers, 74% is where things really begin to develop. You’ll notice a more pronounced cocoa presence with just enough sweetness to keep it approachable. The complexity starts to shine through beautifully.
Tasting Notes
Richer cocoa character, subtle bitterness, layered flavour with earthy and lightly fruity notes
Absolute Black: The Ultimate
This is it. Pure cacao. No sugar. No dairy. Nothing but the bean. Absolute Black is for those who want chocolate in its most essential, honest form. It's bold, it’s intense, and it’s utterly uncompromising.
Tasting Notes
Pure, unfiltered cacao intensity, pronounced bitterness, complex layers that reveal themselves slowly
Why Dark Chocolate Is Naturally Vegan
True dark chocolate doesn't need dairy. At its core, chocolate is made from just a few ingredients: cacao beans, cocoa butter, and sugar. Milk is an addition that came later, diluting the pure cacao experience.
Our dark range celebrates chocolate as it was meant to be: plant-based, powerful, and uncompromised by dairy. There's no “vegan substitute” here because there was never a need for animal products in the first place. This is chocolate in its truest, most honest form.
What Our Customers Discovered This Veganuary
"Simply the BEST dark chocolate in the world with NO sugar added!!!"
"MONTEZUMA’S has it all! Gluten-free, clean ingredients… I eat no other chocolate now."
"Delicious chocolate in its pure state."
"Brilliant dark chocolate with a velvet texture. 100% without any silly additives."
Finding Your Starting Point
Not sure where to begin? Here's how to find your entry point on the dark chocolate spectrum:
You Usually Eat Milk Chocolate
Start with 70%. It has enough sweetness to feel familiar while introducing you to the depth of real cocoa.
You Like Coffee Black
Try 74%. If you appreciate depth and complexity, you may find your match here.
You Want Maximum Cacao
Go straight to Absolute Black. If you're all in on pure ingredients and bold flavours, don’t hold back.
You're Still Exploring
Get a selection. Taste them side by side. Notice how each percentage changes the experience entirely.
31 Days, Infinite Discoveries
Veganuary is 31 days long. That's 31 opportunities to explore dark chocolate. You might start at 70% on January 1st and find yourself savouring 100% by the end of the month. Or you might discover that 74% is your perfect forever chocolate.
The beauty of this journey is that there's no endpoint. Every bar offers something different. Every percentage reveals new flavours. And because our entire dark range is naturally vegan, you're never choosing between your values and your pleasure.
This January, don't just participate in Veganuary. Discover what chocolate can be when it's made the way it should be: plant-based, honest, and absolutely delicious.
How to Taste Dark Chocolate Properly
To truly appreciate cocoa, you need to taste intentionally. Here's how to experience each percentage at its best:
Let it warm. Cold chocolate is muted chocolate. Let your square sit at room temperature for a few minutes before tasting.
Look at it. Notice the colour. Higher percentages are darker, almost black. The sheen tells you about the quality of the tempering.
Smell it. Break the chocolate and inhale. You should get rich cocoa notes, possibly hints of fruit, earth, or spice, depending on the percentage.
Let it melt. Don't chew immediately. Let it melt slowly on your tongue. The flavours will unfold gradually, revealing complexity you'd miss if you rushed.
Notice the finish. How does it linger? Higher percentages have longer, more complex finishes. Pay attention to what flavours emerge last.
Going Vegan Doesn't Mean Giving Up Pleasure
It means discovering that the best chocolate was plant-based all along. Explore the full Collection. Find your dark side. Continue your journey beyond January.
Beyond Veganuary
Here's what we've learned from customers who started their dark chocolate journey during Veganuary: most of them don't stop when February arrives.
Once you've tasted chocolate without dairy, without unnecessary additives, without anything diluting the pure cocoa experience, it's hard to go back. The flavours are deeper. The experience is richer. And you know exactly what you're eating.
Whether you complete all 31 days of Veganuary or make it your permanent way of eating, dark chocolate will be there. Naturally vegan. Uncompromisingly delicious. Waiting for you to discover your place on the spectrum.
From 70% to 100%, there's a percentage with your name on it. The only question is: where will you start?
