Original Beans Esmeraldas 42%

It means the chocolate contains at least 42% cacao solids. The official product information also lists whole milk powder, so the number is a cacao percentage, not a promise that the bar is dark chocolate ([Original Beans](https://originalbeans.com/products/esmeraldas-42)).

The beans come from Ecuador's Esmeraldas Coast and are linked to Arriba cacao. Original Beans describes the region as a remote coastal forest origin ([Original Beans](https://originalbeans.com/products/esmeraldas-42)).

Original Beans lists silky caramel, hazelnut, and salt notes, with cream, milk, cacao, and red fruit as secondary notes. That points to a rounded, sweet-leaning profile rather than a bitter high-percentage bar ([Original Beans](https://originalbeans.com/products/esmeraldas-42)).

It is listed as milk chocolate, even though some catalog descriptions call it dark. The 42% cacao content sits alongside milk ingredients, so shoppers looking for a dairy-free dark bar should not assume this is one ([Original Beans](https://originalbeans.com/products/esmeraldas-42)).