Diet Coke Ginger Lime

 

Another selection from this series from Diet Coke is this Ginger Lime flavor. Based on the last couple posts, I'm expecting a sharp lime taste with a trailing heat of ginger following. 

The can offers tiny whiff of lime, but very little scent otherwise. Now, I'm surprise by how weak the flavor actually is. This takes a departure from the last two flavors I've tasted in this series. There's a very weak cola flavor, like that of a coke that was finished and all the ice in the glass melted... but with the hint of a slice of lime in the glass. I find it underwhelming. Overall, this series of drinks seems more like Diet Coke trying to offer a competitor for all the flavored seltzer waters on the market. But I find them lacking. 

Coca-Cola Dreamworld

 

I found this yesterday at the grocery store. My first impression when walking by was that it was just another limited edition bottle design, but then I noticed it says "Dream Flavored". I have no idea if that's some stupid marketing thing or if they've actually done anything to the flavor so of course I had to pick up a bottle. 

Right off the bat I could smell something different. Taking in a big whiff, at first I though bubble gum, but no, it's more like melon. Now I'm not a big melon eater so I'm not exactly sure what melon this is I'm tasting... cantaloupe maybe, or perhaps honeydew? It's not a bad flavor combination to be honest. I think it would have been better released during the summer, perfect to drink at the State Fair. As it is September now, most of the State Fairs have ended and this flavor profile doesn't conjure autumn in my mind. Nevertheless, I'd recommend giving this a try. 

Diet Coke Zesty Blood Orange

Next, in this series of flavors from Diet Coke is this Zesty Blood Orange. I've liked a number of Blood Orange sodas over the years, though I'm not sure I've ever had one blended with cola. 

Unlike the Twisted Mango, this can presents a sharp orange scent. There's really no cola flavor present as it's overwhelmingly orange in flavor, though somehow thinner than traditional orange soda. I wasn't sure what they meant by "zesty" but trailing the aftertaste you do pick up a little spice in the back of the throat. It's not heat, but more like a tingle you might get from trying an exotic pastry.

Diet Coke Twisted Mango

 

Diet Coke has experimented with a few flavors over the last few years and I've gathered some interesting offerings to try, starting with Twisted Mango.

This has a strange flavor to it and very little scent at all. I was expecting something closer to a melon-like taste, but it's like tasting a carbonated vegetable. The flavor is almost like that of green stalks than that of a sweet fruit. I don't find this pleasant. 

Fest Pecan Root Beer

I don't recall where I picked up this bottle from Fest. They are supposedly a company out of New Orleans, but their domain (festcola.com) seems to be vacant at the present time, so I'm not sure if they are still bottling or not. Their Instagram and Twitter accounts are still up, but as of today, neither has had any new posts since 2019, so that does not bode well. Unfortunately, that means I may never get to taste some of their other flavors such as Peach Ginger Ale or Almond Cola. What drew me to this bottle was the styling. The font and swooping parallel lines give me a 1970's aesthetic. 

The soda has a rich golden brown color, not as dark as a typical root beer. It's smell is not just nutty, but earthy, almost smoky. The flavor is complex, almost bourbon-like with the slightest hint of caramel. It has a decent amount of carbonation, but I think it's right. Too much carbonation can sometimes make a soda a bit sharp and distract from the flavor. I can appreciate the use of cane sugar as well, which as I've mention in previous posts provides a softer, more "round" sweetness than corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. Just half way through this bottle and it's won me over and makes me a bit disheartened about the possibility of not being able to try their other flavors. Kudos to the folks that created this recipe. 

Dry Vanilla Bean

I've featured some other flavors from Dry Soda on this blog before, such as their Juniper flavor here. 

A crisp hiss of pressure when twisting the cap releases a bright smell of vanilla. While this has a wisp of vanilla on the front end of a sip, it's followed by a more chemical taste like a seltzer that I don't particularly find enjoyable. This is a noticeable trend to me among the Dry Sodas in that they are not exactly in the realm of other sodas, but very specialized to a niche drinker or someone looking to use them for meal preparation purposes. I've got another flavor from Dry to review soon, but expecting I'll probably feel the same way.

Mountain Dew White Label

Mountain Dew continues its exploration of flavors with this White Label flavor blended with a citrus flavor. This flavor was released in the same time period as their Black Label and Green Label. History on the original Mountain Dew can be found in this previous post. 

It has a grapefruit-like aroma when opening. The flavor is like that of a blend of Fresca and Squirt, not unpleasant to me at all, albeit with more caffeine. Interestingly it lists white grape juice high on the list of ingredients. I think the carbonation level is just right. One of the thinks that strikes me though about this drink is the beauty of the matte white can.

Jones Soda Turkey & Gravy Soda

Here's another soda from Jones. I've talked about their sodas before and mentioned that they've had several "unique" flavor releases in the past. Years ago they had a pack of different holiday themed flavors for Thanksgiving. I hadn't heard much of those in some time but picked this bottle up at the local grocery store the other day as soon as I saw it. 

First thing's first... these are clearly sold for the sheer novelty and curiosity. No one would want to drink this for it's great taste or to quench their thirst. Carbonation levels are just average, but let's get to brass tacks. Taking a big sniff of this stuff after cracking it open reminds me of the smell of Armor All cleaning and protectant for automobiles. As for the taste, it is strongly reminiscent of the fatty oils left in the pan after roasting a turkey sometimes used to make gravy. One swig is enough to want to forget you tried it. 

Shaq Soda Vanilla Cream

Oh boy, where to begin with this one. These Shaq Sodas were actually produced by AriZona Beverages. Yes, the same ones famous for AriZona Iced Teas in the "tall boy" 23.5oz. cans that are famously known for still being priced at $0.99. I don't drink iced tea so knew little about AriZona Beverages, but I have come to find out they aren't from Arizona, but actually based in Brooklyn, New York, where Don Vultaggio founded the company in 1992. This can was actually gifted to me, I haven't seen these in the wild. But there were apparently four flavors in the series, vanilla cream, blueberry cream, orange cream, and strawberry cream, all of which have been discontinued. 

It has an old-fashioned cream soda smell you'd imagine from a higher priced cream soda. I find it comes on smooth at first, but with a few more sips it leaves a bit of a strange aftertaste. I wish the cream flavor was stronger. It comes across with a very weak flavor, much too bland.

Star Wars Space Punch

I picked this can up a while back when The Last Jedi was released, but had forgotten about it in the back of my fridge until now. I'll be pretty honest, I don't expect great flavor experiences from these kinds of "collector" cans/bottles because that's not what their marketing is about. I'm not even really sure who made it, some company called Drink Department One US Inc., which is apparently a division of Drink Department One in Germany. The can looks nice though and has an interesting textured finish. 

The smell has a sort of wheat-like smell. This is not a good drink. It has one of those weird energy drink tastes, yet has no caffeine. I think some of that bizarre flavor may come from the blueberry and blackberry listed in the ingredients, but there are other juices listed in the ingredients I can't taste. While not a good tasting beverage by my standards it was an interesting try.