Raaka First Nibs

What's in the box: Each shipment contains three of Raaka's dark chocolate bars, often small-batch or limited flavors made from unroasted single origin cacao.

Raaka is a craft chocolate maker based in Red Hook, Brooklyn. It is known for making dark chocolate from unroasted cacao. First Nibs is its three bar subscription, listed at $27.95. Raaka also runs a monthly program built around very limited, small-batch bars. Recent releases show the range. The current batch is a collaboration with Lexington Bakes and features two bars inspired by their brownie and cookie bars. The regular lineup includes flavors like Bourbon Cask Aged, Maple & Nibs, Apple Crisp, and date-sweetened bars with no added sugar. Raaka describes its cacao as single origin, traceable and transparently traded, and it markets its chocolate as organic and vegan. This suits someone who already enjoys dark chocolate and wants to try bars that are unlikely to show up on store shelves. Unroasted chocolate tastes different from conventional bars, often brighter and fruitier. Shoppers who prefer milk chocolate or a classic roasted flavor may not love every shipment. The site does not clearly state shipping costs for the subscription, skip or cancel terms, or exactly how First Nibs differs from the monthly limited batch program, so check those details before you sign up. For a curious dark chocolate fan, it is a reasonable way to sample a well regarded craft maker.