Lindt Excellence: Why This Everyday Chocolate Bar Feels Like a Five-Star Dessert
04.01.2026 - 04:23:03
Most days, your "treat" is a rushed afterthought: a too-sweet candy bar from the checkout aisle, a brownie that tastes mostly like sugar, or some hastily grabbed dessert that leaves you weirdly unsatisfied. You wanted something comforting and grown-up. You got a sugar hit and regret.
Somewhere between childish candy and $12 artisanal bean-to-bar chocolate, there should be a middle ground: something you can find almost anywhere, enjoy in small squares, and actually savor. A bar that doesnt scream "gourmet" but behaves like it.
This is exactly where Lindt Excellence steps in.
Lindt Excellence: The Everyday Dark Chocolate That Feels Like a Ritual
Lindt Excellence is Lindts flagship range of thin, intensely flavored chocolate tablets designed for tasting rather than mindless snacking. Think dark chocolate from 50% all the way up to 99% cocoa, flavored versions like Sea Salt, Chili, Orange Intense, Mint, and a surprisingly broad lineup of milk and very dark bars depending on your market.
Instead of one generic bar, Lindt has built a full spectrum of experiences: from more approachable 70% dark for people easing into the category, to 85% and 90% for serious cocoa fans, and the near-legendary 99% for those who want to push the edge of bitterness. The brand positions Excellence as a tasting chocolate something you break into squares, pair with coffee or wine, and enjoy slowly.
Backed by Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli AG (ISIN: CH0010570759), this line is easy to find in mainstream grocery stores but engineered to feel like a small luxury.
Why this specific model?
With so many chocolate bars fighting for attention, why does Lindt Excellence come up again and again in Reddit threads, tasting blogs, and everyday conversations? After digging through user reviews, chocolate forums, and Lindts own product information, a few clear reasons emerge.
- It solves the "too sweet, too childish" problem. A lot of mass-market chocolate is loaded with sugar and vegetable fats, with cocoa way down the ingredient list. Excellence flips that formula: cocoa content and flavor first, sweetness second. For people switching from candy to real chocolate, 70% and 85% Excellence bars hit that grown-up profile without becoming harsh.
- The thin format matters. Excellence bars are notably thinner than typical chocolate bars. Thats not just aesthetic: the thin profile makes the chocolate melt faster on your tongue, which amplifies aroma and flavor. You taste more, faster, from each square.
- Approachable price, premium experience. On Reddit and chocolate forums, youll see the same phrase: "best dark chocolate you can get in a supermarket." Its rarely anyones pick for the rarest, most complex bar on earth, but it consistently ranks as the smart everyday upgrade from regular candy chocolate.
- Consistent quality, wide availability. From the US and UK to Germany and beyond, people appreciate that they can walk into a typical supermarket and find a bar that tastes broadly the same as the one they loved in another country.
In other words, Lindt Excellence is the chocolate bar for people who are done with candy, but not trying to become cocoa snobs.
At a Glance: The Facts
| Feature | User Benefit |
|---|---|
| Wide cocoa range (50% to 99% depending on variant) | Lets you choose exactly how intense and bitter you want your chocolate, from gentle dark to near-pure cocoa. |
| Thin tablet format with scored squares | Snaps cleanly into tasting-sized pieces and melts quickly on the tongue for a more aromatic, nuanced flavor experience. |
| Flavored options (Sea Salt, Orange Intense, Chili, Mint, etc.) | Offers variety for different moods and pairings, from sweet-salty comfort to bold, spicy heat. |
| High-quality cocoa and cocoa butter (no vegetable oil fillers) | Gives a smoother mouthfeel and more authentic chocolate taste compared to many mass-market candy bars. |
| Available in most major supermarkets and online | Makes it easy to upgrade your everyday chocolate without hunting for niche specialty shops. |
| Different formats and sizes (standard bars, tasting sets, sometimes mini squares) | Works for personal rituals, sharing, or gifting without feeling overly formal or expensive. |
| Backed by Lindt & Sprünglis long-standing Swiss chocolate heritage | Offers a sense of trust and consistency in flavor, texture, and quality from batch to batch. |
What Users Are Saying
A quick dive into Reddit threads and review sections reveals a surprisingly unified sentiment: Lindt Excellence is rarely the most intense or exotic bar on the market, but it hits a sweet spot between quality, availability, and price.
Common praise:
- Flavor balance. The 70% and 85% bars get a lot of love for being rich and cocoa-forward without tipping into acrid or burnt notes. People who are "new" to dark chocolate often describe 70% Excellence as their gateway bar.
- Texture. Many users note the smoothness and clean snap, especially compared to waxy, overly fatty cheaper brands. The thinness gets specific callouts as making the chocolate feel more sophisticated.
- Sea Salt and Orange Intense standouts. Sea Salt Excellence is frequently singled out as addictive salty crunch against deep cocoa. Orange Intense (with slivers of almond and orange) is described as dessert-like without being cloying.
- Good for mindful eating. People trying to cut back on sugar or binge snacking often say a couple of squares of 85% or 90% Excellence satisfies them more than a whole regular candy bar.
Common complaints:
- Bitterness at higher percentages. The 90% and especially 99% bars are polarizing. Fans love the raw, almost espresso-like intensity. Others find them too bitter or dry to enjoy on their own and prefer them paired with coffee or used in baking.
- Not fully artisanal. Serious bean-to-bar enthusiasts on forums sometimes criticize Excellence as "safe" or "not very complex" compared to small craft makers. Thats fair this is mass-produced premium, not tiny-batch experimentation.
- Price creep in some markets. While still reasonably priced for premium chocolate, some users mention rising prices in grocery stores. That said, many still see it as strong value compared to smaller luxury brands.
Overall, the social proof is clear: if you want a widely available chocolate that tastes like you think chocolate should taste, Lindt Excellence is a safe and satisfying bet.
Alternatives vs. Lindt Excellence
The premium chocolate aisle has become crowded, and Lindt Excellence isnt your only option. Heres how it stacks up against common alternatives youll see on the same shelf or in the same price bracket.
- Ghirardelli Intense Dark (US)
Ghirardellis Intense Dark line is an obvious competitor, especially in North America. Many users describe Ghirardelli as a bit sweeter, with slightly less snap and a thicker format. If you like more sweetness and a heavier bar, Ghirardelli might appeal; if you want a thinner, more European-style dark, Excellence usually wins. - Green & Blacks
Green & Blacks organic bars often lean into more earthy, sometimes slightly rougher flavor profiles, with organic and fair-trade positioning. They can taste more rustic or intense. Lindt Excellence tends to be smoother and more polished, better suited for people moving up from mainstream milk chocolate. - Small bean-to-bar brands
Craft chocolate makers will give you more origin-specific flavors, limited batches, and often higher prices. If youre ready to nerd out about single-origin cocoa from a specific region, those brands may offer a more adventurous experience. But they require effort to find and are often too intense or inconsistent for casual treat seekers. Excellence is the "daily driver" in comparison. - Standard candy chocolate (Hersheys, Milka, etc.)
Versus regular supermarket candy bars, Excellence is in another category. Higher cocoa, lower sugar (especially from 70% up), no vegetable oil fillers, and that thin, slow-melting format make it feel like a deliberate choice rather than an impulse buy.
If youre trying to move your palate from candy to real chocolate without overshooting into super-bitter, hyper-artisanal territory, Lindt Excellence is the most natural stepping stone.
How Lindt Excellence Fits Todays Chocolate Trends
Zooming out, Lindt Excellence sits right at the intersection of several current market trends:
- Less sugar, more flavor. People are increasingly reading labels and seeking higher cocoa percentages. Excellences lineup directly caters to that, especially with 70% and above.
- Mindful snacking. A bar you break into slow, small squares fits a more intentional, ritual-style snacking culture. Users often mention pairing Excellence with coffee, tea, red wine, or even cheese.
- Affordable luxury. In uncertain economic times, the "little luxury" purchase becomes powerful. Excellence gives that small, daily upgrade without the price tag of true luxury goods.
- Flavor exploration. Flavored variants like Chili or Sea Salt let curious eaters experiment without committing to weird, limited-edition flavors that they may never see again.
Final Verdict
If youve ever finished a candy bar and thought, "That was fine, but I dont feel good about it," Lindt Excellence is the upgrade your nightly ritual needs.
It doesnt demand that you become a chocolate geek. It just quietly gives you better ingredients, more adult flavors, and a format that teaches you to slow down. A few thin squares with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, and suddenly your everyday evening feels more considered, more intentional.
Is it the most complex chocolate on earth? No. But thats not its job. Its job is to be the bar you can find almost anywhere, that still feels special when you crack it open. On that front, it absolutely delivers.
If youre curious, start with Excellence 70% or Excellence Sea Salt. If you already live in the dark-chocolate world, jump straight to 85% or 90%. Either way, youre not just buying a bar. Youre buying a better five minutes of your day, on demand.
