Convenience: 5/5
Flavor: 5/5
Activation time: 5/5
Effects: 5/5
Price: 5/5
Overall score: 5
Focused
Relaxed
Euphoric
Relief
Energized
Head High Medium
Body High Medium
This KIVA dark chocolate bar comes in attractive cardboard packaging complete with an embossed cannabis leaf at the top. Opening this cardboard exterior, we found a foil wrapping within, and inside this wrapping, we found a long, thin chocolate bar with 20 rectangular sections.
Breaking off two of these sections, we savored the flavor of the KIVA Dark Chocolate Bar. As expected from dark chocolate, the bar was relatively bitter, but this bitterness was offset by a hint of sour blackberry flavoring.
Instead of being gritty or waxy, our THC-infused dark chocolate bar had a creamy texture that was more reminiscent of milk chocolate. Despite containing 5mg of THC per section, the KIVA Chocolate Bar didn’t have a noticeable cannabis taste. However, the taste of cannabis is easy to overpower with cacao, so we aren’t sure whether the cannabis flavor was non-existent due to KIVA using refined THC distillate or whether it was simply masked.
We decided to eat two 5mg sections of our THC-infused chocolate bar. Like most THC edibles, it took a while for the KIVA Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar to start delivering effects. Around 30 minutes after we ingested this chocolate bar, the preliminary effects set in, and we started experiencing the primary effects around 40 minutes after ingestion.
We noticed the effects of the KIVA chocolate bar for around 90 minutes after ingestion, at which point the effects of this chocolate bar started to dissipate, leaving behind a sense of mild relaxation. We didn’t experience any negative aftereffects at all.
Let’s summarize the key points regarding the activation time and effects of the KIVA bar:
Each bar of KIVA THC chocolate contains 100mg THC, broken up into 20 5mg rectangles. Overall, these edible THC chocolate bars offer the same dosage as other edibles, but dose-sensitive users will appreciate the ability to easily break their orally ingested THC into smaller amounts.
For someone who has never ingested THC orally before, 10mg may, indeed, be a bit too much all at once. That’s where cannabis-infused chocolate bars like those made by KIVA are perfect. Since each square in this 5mg THC chocolate bar only contains half the usual edible dose, you can start small at 5mg if 10mg seems like it’s too much.
You should expect to start feeling the effects of your KIVA dark chocolate edibles within around 30 minutes with the full onset of effects occurring at the 45-minute mark. In our experience, KIVA chocolate bars kick in slightly faster than you would expect — perhaps due to the inherent nature of chocolate as a medium. Chocolate is mostly fat and sugar, after all, both of which are metabolized quite easily.
As long as they are stored properly, KIVA blackberry dark chocolate edibles should last for around a year on a shelf. Like all chocolate, make sure your KIVA THC chocolate doesn’t get too warm, and keep it out of direct sunlight. A fridge is a great place to keep your THC chocolate bar, but keep it out of the freezer since extreme temperatures can damage cannabinoids.
The strength of a KIVA chocolate bar depends on how much of it you eat. Each square only contains 5mg THC, but it’s hard to stop at a single square.
With the average dose of 4-5 rectangles, you’re looking at 20-25mg THC, which is definitely a lot, especially for beginners. Don’t shy away from eating a single square of KIVA, but keep in mind that it’s very easy to eat more than you meant to.
In our experience, KIVA chocolate provides a relatively generic THC experience that doesn’t have any particular indica or sativa properties. What KIVA will make you feel, however, is very high — especially if you eat more than 2-3 rectangles. If you have issues with paranoia when you use sativas, though, or you get too sleepy from indicas, you most likely won’t experience these issues with KIVA chocolate bars.
It’s unlikely that there’s anything about the inherent traits of chocolate versus gummies that makes one form of THC edible more effective than the other. We will say, though, that it seems easier to eat more of a THC chocolate bar than you intended.
Gummies, on the other hand, aren’t quite as addicting, and they come in separate pieces. So, overall, you’re more likely to have an intense experience with THC chocolate even though this type of edible isn’t inherently stronger than any others.
If you’re wondering how much a THC chocolate bar from Kiva is, be aware that most dispensaries charge between $20 and $30 a bar. The average price you’ll find is $25, which is a significant premium above most edibles. What you get with KIVA, however, is a culinary experience with getting high as a mere side note, so that extra $5 or $10 seems relatively justified.
If you want to find the lowest price on KIVA chocolate or any other THC product, try shopping around on online delivery sites like WeedMaps or Eaze. Chances are, the price you’ve been paying at your local dispensary is higher than what you can find for delivery. Even if you don’t want your THC chocolate delivered, you can still research which dispensaries have the best prices using these online tools.
Currently, you can buy KIVA THC chocolate bars in California, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, and Hawaii, making it one of the widest-distributed THC edible brands in the nation. Regardless of where your travels might take you, it’s likely you’ll find KIVA chocolate if you happen to be in an adult-use cannabis state.
There’s nothing particularly impressive about KIVA’s packaging, but there’s nothing to complain about, either. The high point is definitely the embossed cannabis leaf on the outer cardboard packaging, and we also appreciate the design of the chocolate rectangles themselves, slim yet angular. Just realize that this chocolate bar is like any other — smash or bend it, and the chocolate inside won’t remain intact.
A full list of ingredients present in the KIVA Confections Blackberry Dark Chocolate bar includes:
– Semisweet Chocolate (Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Potassium Carbonate, Sunflower Lecithin, Vanilla), Cannabis Extract, Blackberry Flavor
As you can see, the ingredients in this chocolate bar are quite simple, most likely pleasing shoppers who are only concerned about additives. Those who insist on organic or non-GMO ingredients, though, might be somewhat disappointed by KIVA’s recipe.
Yes, we would say that, overall, KIVA makes the best chocolate edibles you can buy in California and beyond. The THC in these bars isn’t overwhelming, and KIVA clearly prioritizes making a tasty chocolate bar over getting their users as high as humanly possible.
That’s not to say, though, that this brand’s blackberry dark chocolate is in any way disappointing in terms of potency. You’ll get plenty high when you eat a KIVA chocolate bar — especially if you eat the whole thing, which is often hard to avoid.
We found that 2-3 sections of the KIVA Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar provided an ideal THC edible experience without tossing us into a chocolate coma. Eat more at a time if you really love chocolate or you want to get truly blazed.
Containing 54% cacao, the KIVA Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar isn’t that dark, but it’s dark enough to please cacao lovers. With natural blackberry flavoring, a simple chocolate recipe, and contaminant-free cannabis extract, this chocolate bar didn’t contain anything that we’d rather not consume.
Founded in 2010 by Scott and Kristi Palmer, KIVA is now one of the country’s biggest edibles brands with placement in dispensaries in California, Arizona, and Illinois. KIVA employs more than 200 people, and this brand uses sustainably-grown California cannabis and sustainable cacao to produce its chocolate products.
In addition to chocolates, KIVA also produces two different lines of gummies, a line of mints, and a line of chocolate “bites” that contain berries and other natural ingredients that add unique textures. After our highly enjoyable experience with the KIVA Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar, we’re looking forward to trying everything else this brand offers as well.
Here are the key highlights of the KIVA Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar:
The KIVA Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar is ideal for anyone who wants to experience THC in chocolate form. At $25 per 100mg bar, KIVA’s chocolate bars are relatively inexpensive, and they aren’t so gourmet that they’ll turn away cannabis lovers who aren’t that into San Francisco-esque flavor pairing.
While the effects of the KIVA Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar weren’t that strong, they weren’t negligible either, making this chocolate bar ideal for individuals who want to enjoy minimal THC buzzes without getting blitzed. Containing sustainable, natural ingredients, the KIVA Blackberry Dark Chocolate Bar caters to cannabis users who prefer organic products.
written by Samuel Popejoy, video by Chad Waldman
Before the committee gets their hands on the product and formally rates it, the BestDosage team scrapes the product packaging, scours the internet, and occasionally calls the brand directly to hunt down the most accurate information about each product.
THC Dosage
5mg THC per bar
Price
$20
Recommended For
Sharing with friends
Target Age Group
25+
Quantity
100mg THC
Activation Time
35 minutes
Other Products
Gummies, Bites and more
Ask our experts today.
written by Samuel Popejoy, video by Chad Waldman