Red Bull Organics Review

Red Bull Organics are a new line of soft drinks, not energy drinks like I thought. I found all of them (4 at the time of this review) at a local 7-11 where they were having a sale of 2 for $4.

Simply Cola

For those who remember, Red Bull actually already made a "Simply Cola" almost 10 year ago. My review is here. I believe this is either the same formula or one that is very close because both cola's state that the caffeine in the drink is extracted from coffee beans. Unfortunately the old Simply Cola did not state the caffeine content so I have no way of comparing the two in that department. This one has 32 mg, which is fairly comparable to a regular can of Coke.

Flavor-wise, both are very similar, if not the same. It has been almost 10 years since I last had the first Simply Cola so I am relying solely on my old review. This version also has notes of lemon, vanilla, cinnamon, and other spices, in addition to your typical cola flavors. The immediate finish is citrusy and sharp, but there are lingering spice notes that I really like.

Overall, pretty good twist on your standard cola flavor but the citrus twist may not appeal to Coke lovers.

Taste - 8.5/10

Ginger Ale

This ginger ale has a very gingery aroma but it isn't as gingery as expected. In fact, the lemon is a bit overpowering towards the finish. Interesting twist on ginger ale, but I think I would have liked to be a bit more intense a little less lemony.

Taste - 6/10

Tonic Water

I can see how Simply Cola and Ginger Ale could be part of the Red Bull family, but this Tonic Water is a complete departure from the regular line up. More so because the choice of flavor just doesn't math anything else that is Red Bull.

On its own, the tonic water is not great but not horrible. The aroma is sweet, like candy. The flavor is lacking at first but then develops into more of a sweet, rather than bitter soda. Sure, there is a moment of bitterness, but it goes away rather quickly and all you are left with is more sweetness and a tiny bit of citrus. The mouthfeel is also sticky and creamy, rather than sharp and bitey. It needs more of an edge.

Taste - 6/10

Bitter Lemon

This one has a very refreshing and full lemon flavor up front with a delayed light bitter finish. If you take frequent sips, you won't even get the bitterness because that's how long it takes to emerge. If you are afraid of it being too bitter, don't be. The bitterness is short-lived and light enough for most to enjoy it.

Overall, this is a very refreshing flavor and is my favorite of the bunch.

Taste - 9/10

Pepsi 1893 Original Cola Review

I found this at a Target on a recent trip south of the border. As of this moment, this is not sold in Canada.

So what makes 1893 such a different Pepsi? Well, it is made with real sugar, kola nut and some bitters....so kind of like the hipster colas you can buy.

But hipster jokes aside, this Pepsi has a hell of a flavor! From the get go you are bombarded by various spices, including a generous helping of cinnamon and some coffee. A similar level of sweetness is present, but with the 1893, it is much rounder and doesn't stick to the inside of the mouth. The aftertaste is rather pleasant too with hints of spices and a touch of candy-like sweetness.

Definitely go for this one over the regular one if you had the option...unless you really, really like the regular one, or you are not a fan of cinnamon.

Taste - 9/10

Mountain Dew Spiked Lemonade

I bought this from a Target when travelling to Michigan for a couple of dollars. This is not sold in Canada...yet I want to say but who knows.

Taste

Well, it smells like a lemonade and tastes like one mixed with a tiny bit of Mountain Dew. That is the short description, but to be a bit more detailed, I need to note that the lemon part tastes like a real lemon towards the end of each sip. I don't know if Mountain Dew has almost found the perfect substitute, or if there is real lemon juice, but for a few moments it feels like you are sucking on a sugar-coated lemon which I found pleasing. The aftertaste is also very refreshing and pleasant.

This is a very well executed lemonade. Not sure about the prickly pear cactus juice, though. I have never had it on its own so not sure what flavor to look for. But to be honest, the tart lemonade overpowers all other flavors.

Energy

There are 72 mg of caffeine in this can and the effects are very similar to a small can of Red Bull, except for the ever so slightly reduced jitters. Or maybe that was because I took my time consuming this 473 mL can.

Scores:
Cost - $1.99
Taste - 8.8/10
Energy - 5.9/10

Overall - 14.7/20...very tasty lemonade

Crystal Pepsi Review

Clinton is running for president, Blink-182 is popular again, people are going nuts over Pokemon Go and Crystal Pepsi has returned...daaaamn, it is like the 1990's all over again. If you are like me and don't remember anything about Crystal Pepsi, now is your chance to try it again and unearth some deep forgotten memories.

I found a huge stash of Crystal Pepsi as a Loblaw's downtown Toronto, but from what I have been reading, it should be available country-wide and where Pepsi products are sold.

Crystal Pepsi vs. Regular Pepsi

So what makes Crystal Pepsi so different from the regular Pepsi? As far as I can tell just the lack of caramel color. The lack of this ingredient has a tiny effect on the flavor and makes it a touch less sweet and caramely (if that's not a word, it is now) and that's it! It also looks really cool.

The 591 mL bottle that I tried still had the same 63 mg of caffeine so the only difference is the lack of color. This isn't a caffeine-free drink like some made you believe in the 90's.

Soooo the hype is just about the color...still. Get a bottle and re-live your early days.

Scores:
Cost - $2
Taste - meh....do I even bother? It is just a Pepsi!

Boylan Limited Release Sodas

If you haven't seen Boylan's sodas then you must be blind. These sodas are literally everywhere and are quickly taking over Jones shelf space. I got a batch of these to review courtesy of the good folks at Pacific Bottleworks and I am so very grateful.

Sparkling Cider

Boylan's Sparkling Cider is a limited release, so get yourself a bottle right now if you are a fan of Boylan and ciders.

This sparkling cider has a bold apple aroma with notes of both sweet and sour apples, and just a tiny bit of caramel. The soda is not as carbonated as I expected it and starts off with a rounded, creamy mouth-feel bringing the caramel and sweet apple notes to the taste buds. The sour apples come in after and tend to stick to the back of the tongue. The sweetness suppresses most of the sourness and results in an interesting cola-like twist at the finish, which also carries some of the creamy character of the start of the drink. Very interesting and satisfying soda.

Taste - 9.0/10

Birch Beer

Coming from Europe, we do love our birch products. I grew up with birch juice and was happy when it started becoming popular here at places like Shoppers. I have also had alcoholic birch beer, but I have never had birch soda drinks before.

Boylan takes a slightly different approach with birch beer. The birch flavors come from birch oils, which are dark and give the soda its dark, cola-like color. The soda has a sharp anise aroma with hints of vanilla and caramel and something that reminds me of the basic Crest toothpaste. The taste carries the same notes, but it is much softer than the aroma. The anise much less pronounced and you get a subtle influx of earthier notes and some of that familiar, but hard to explain Crest toothpaste hint...could be a blend of mint and anise. The vanilla, caramel and mint-like notes come out near the finish and form the aftertaste.

I would compare this to an intense root beer with a touch of anise and mint. Very interesting and rather enjoyable.

Taste - 8.8/10

Orange

This is a staple flavor that is rather hard to pull off if you want to skimp on the depth and complexity of it. Boylan's orange flavor does come through, though. The aroma has a strong orange and tangerine peel bouquet while the flavor has multiple layers. It starts off with a mild candy-like orange, followed by a sweet tangerine, which takes you all the way to the end. I must admit that this is a little too sweet for my liking, but that cane sugar really rounds off the corners. There doesn't seem to be any harshness as you would get from a high fructose corn and I do like the tangerine finish. It helps round off the end.

To try something different, I diluted the last bit of this soda and it was absolutely awesome. The sweetness was cut down a bit, but the flavors remained there.

Taste - 8/10...it is sweet

Creme

Not the biggest fan of straight up cream sodas, but the deep golden color really intrigued me about this one. This creme soda has a very warm and inviting aroma that reminds me of sweet glazed donuts, vanilla and caramel. The flavor is sweet and comes at you head on with the sugary goodness of a dozen glazed donuts, followed by a sprinkling of vanilla. The finish reveals a combination of caramel and butterscotch which reminds me of Werther's candies, but damn is this sweet...oh well, at least it has cane sugar which gives the soda a very round, smooth sweetness.

Taste - 8.1/10

Root Beer

This root beer has an aroma that is very similar to the Birch Beer but with a touch more sweetness and spice. The taste is also very similar at first, but give it a few moments and the flavor starts to diverge. Vanilla and caramel will stay behind with a very minimal anise hint and a very round sweetness profile thanks to the cane sugar. The aftertaste is an interesting blend of candy cola-like and root beer-like flavors.

Man, I am sold on cane sugar. Love how it rounds off the flavors in all of these sodas.

Taste - 9/10

Cabana Lemonade

These bottles were given to me courtesy of the good guys at Pacific Bottleworks. The beverages are available at multiple stores in the downtown Toronto area, but I am sure they can be easily found elsewhere.

Original Lemonade

It will be a crime not to start with the Original Lemonade to lay the foundations for these reviews.

The Original Lemonade is cloudy and some sediment is present at the bottom, so I made sure to follow the instructions on the label and to shake the bottle. Off the bat this smells like a fresh lemonade with a very intense and sour lemon aroma. The first sip seems a bit watery, but as soon as the liquid made its way along my tongue, I was hit by a wave of intense lemon flavors that stiffened up my jaw.

The taste is well balanced, because the sour intensity only lasts for a few moments and then comes the moderately sweet finish that's rounded off by its candy-like sweetness. The aftertaste is clean and dry with a gentle lingering lemon note.

Really refreshing stuff. Love it.

Taste - 9.2/10

Limeade

After the lemon comes the lime. It is only logical. Cabana's Limeade is hazy and filled with sediment that you need to shake up...that's from the 11% juice. The aroma is limey and creamy and moderately intense, while the taste is full-on intense. The taste starts off a bit watery like the lemonade, but even quicker, that sour and sweet lime flavor punches you. I like the way this one finishes on a fruity, sour, yet sweet and creamy note with a lot of lingering traces of lime. Very enjoyable and veeeery refreshing. Damn, I like this one more than the Original Lemonade.

Taste - 9.3/10

Strawberry Lemonade

Heavy strawberry aroma with tart lemon peel notes hidden behind it. The flavor comes at you in a very interesting way. You don't get much at the start of the sip, but then you get a hit of sweet and tart strawberries, followed by a subtle tart lemon peel, followed by a burst of lemon sour goodness right before the dry finish. Some strawberry creaminess comes in the aftertaste.

Great, refreshing lemonade with a creamy strawberry finish. Good stuff.

Taste - 9/10

Cherry Lemonade

The aroma is dominated by cherries with the lemonade providing a sour citrus backdrop making it seem like sour cherries were used. The taste is strong on the cherries and at first you don't taste the lemonade, but you feel its sour nature around the jawline, twisting and pulling your muscles back. After the muscle twisting comes the actual lemonade flavor, which blends well with the cherries giving you the sensation of drinking sour cherry juice near the finish. The aftertaste is clean at first, but moments later traces of lemon and cherries become noticeable.

I found this one to be the most sour one of the flavors, but combination of lemons and cherries wasn't something that I expected to be so good.

Taste - 9.3/10

Overall Notes and Impressions

There are around 45 grams of sugar in each bottle, but none felt overly sweet. The tart lemon flavors definitely keep the sweetness from building up, but even when you get a hint of sweetness, it has depth and roundness to it. It isn't just an overly sweet shock in your face. I love that.

Little Big Shot Energy Mixed Berry

Little Big Shot Energy is a UK energy drink without the caffeine or taurine. The label states that the energy comes from the "energy releasing vitamins" so I bought myself a can from the local health store to give it a shot. This 250 mL retails for $2.49 from Essence of Life in Kensington Market in Toronto, but I am sure it is sold other places as well, because the label has been properly done in English and French and it is not just a sticker.

Taste

The aroma is very intense with pomegranate, hibiscus and blackcurrants being the dominant notes. The taste is similar with pomegranate being the front most dominant flavor, while the blackcurrants come up from behind to finish it off. Right before the finish, a wave of tart lemon kicks in to give this beverage a clean finish. The hibiscus is very subtle and doesn't appear until well into the aftertaste once the lemon washes off.

This drink is intense. The flavors are all very well done and alternate. Each one is well defined and is not lost in a generic mix of berries. The sweetness and tartness are very well balanced and it never got too sweet or too tart.

Energy

Welp, there is no caffeine. There is ginseng, B6, B12 and a mix of minerals. I didn't get a rush like I do with regular energy drinks, but I did find myself a little more focused and perky after 10 or so minutes. The feeling lasted for about 30 minutes and then I felt very calm, but not super energetic. Not sure if this is a placebo effect or if this is what this drink is supposed to do, but I liked it.

Scores:
Cost - $2.49
Taste - 9.8/10
Energy - meeeeh...

Overall - 9.8/10...not rating the energy since it doesn't stand a chance against the big, sugary brands

MASH Water Drink Review

There is something about the shape of these bottles that makes me very happy and makes me want to hold them. The stubby factor makes them feel solid and just right in my hand while the wide mouth makes it much easier to drink and get more of the liquid into your body...a feature not to be underestimated when it is very hot out and you are very thirsty.

MASH is produced by the same guys who make Boylan Soda...Boylan Bottling and seems to be available in the same stores. MASH are lightly carbonated, low calorie beverages sweetened with crystalline fructose and sucralose. Each bottle contains only 100 calories...but enough  of this, let's try the flavors.

Ripe Mango Blood Orange

The aroma this one has is absolutely amazing. The ripe mango and blood orange create this amazing fusion that could only be described as a honey tangerine with bits of sweet mango pulp. Seriously, strap a bottle to my nose and I will be happy smelling this for the rest of my life.

The taste is not bad either. It is like a sandwich that starts off with a mild citrus zing, followed by a strong sweet mango flavor that dominates the middle ground, followed by more of the initial citrus zing. The aftertaste is a balanced mix of mango on top with a subtle citrus undertone. The crystalline fructose adds a mild candy-like sweetness that I find very enjoyable.

The mango is well done and right where it needs to be - not too sweet or dominant. The blood orange could be improved a little. I did like that it is not overly sour, but it can definitely use just a tiny bit more for a bit more zing and a cleaner finish.

Taste - 9.3/10

Lemon Peel

Very lemony aroma. The taste is mild and lemony at first, but builds up right up to the finish for tart, yet not too intense finish. Some candy sweetness comes up right after the end of each sip, giving the aftertaste a sensation similar to sucking on a mild lemon drop.

The lemon tartness builds up slowly with each sip around the back of the jaw giving the beverage a relatively clean finish (OK with a bit of candy sweetness) at the end of the bottle. Refreshing, but a bit too mild for me.

Taste - 8.0/10

Grapefruit Citrus Zing

This one starts off on a very high note with an amazingly rich ruby red grapefruit aroma. The first sip is a bit dull, but each one after that is not so don't be too hasty with your judgement. Each subsequent sip starts off with a moderate pink grapefruit flavor which gives way to a lemon/lime combo and comes back as the dominant flavor near the finish. Some creaminess appears near the finish and lingers along with the grapefruit well into the aftertaste.

Great ruby red grapefruit drink with the right amount of sweetness.

Taste - 9.0/10

Pomegranate Blueberry

I am amazed at how equally balanced the aroma is. You get both pomegranate and blueberry notes each whiff and you don't have to go looking for them. The flavors are nice and tart with pomegranate dominant up front and in the middle, with the blueberry rounding off the finish. The aftertaste has a candy-like blueberry sweetness to it with pomegranate making a brief return. The sweetness in the aftertaste is well balanced and not overpowering. The tartness disappears for a while in the middle, but comes back in the finish.

Very impressive and well defined flavor.

Taste - 9.3/10

Overall Impressions

Overall, these MASH beverages are fantastic, but you must be aware that these are low calorie beverages and some sweetener notes are present. The tart flavors of the Pomegranate Blueberry eliminate that presence, but it is apparent in the Lemon Peel and Grapefruit Citrus Zing. The Ripe Mango Blood Orange one has a moderate sweetener presence since there is some mild tartness. I bet if it was dialed up a notch, all traces will be eliminated.

Ikea Dryck Julmust Swedish Festive Drink

Yes, I was at Ikea a few days ago and as I do with every place that offers beverages, I stop by to peruse the drinks section. This time Ikea had a bunch of sweet sparkling beverages for the holidays (love those by the way) as well as this mysterious and dark Swedish festive drink - Dryck Julmust. Julmust is a combination of words that means a Christmas not yet fermented juice...apparently some sort of infused, fruity drink with hops.

The aroma is somewhere between a root beer, cola and mixed berry juice. The flavor is very unique and interesting and the moment it hit my tongue, I knew I was going to like it. Up front you get a bit of caramel and root beer, but after a few moments, a slightly tart flavor comes in with hibiscus and mixed berries. The aftertaste has a subtle lime-like twist with traces of burnt brown sugar. Yes, I know that caramel is essentially sugar, but it usually has a bit of vanilla and milk/creak to give it depth. This just has traces of burnt sugar, which are a little different.

Very interesting drink that will appeal to root beer fans and Europe natives.

Scores:
Cost - $1.79
Taste - 8.8/10

Guayaki Yerba Mate Cran Pom

Here is another Guayaki Yerba Mate I haven't been able to track down, courtesy of the good people at Pacific Bottleworks. Thanks to these guys Guayaki's products are now available at a lore more places in the GTA.

Taste

The aroma is very similar to that of the Revel Berry, except there is a bit more of a sour undertone. The taste is very different, though. It starts off with a strong and tart cranberry note which quickly transitions to pomegranate and then back to cranberry near the finish, which is dry and almost completely clean. Some light cranberry and lemon notes linger at the back of the tongue, but for most parts, the finish and aftertaste are clean. The tartness hides most of the earthy yerba mate flavors, but some still come up here and there. 

This flavor drinks more like a regular fruity energy drink than a tea-based one, which I think will appeal to a wider audience that wouldn't normally enjoy the taste of yerba mate. I found myself liking it more than I thought I would with its hidden earthy tea flavors.

Energy

Surprisingly there are only 80 mg of caffeine in this can. The reason why I found it surprising is because I was expecting 120 mg in a 355 mL can which would make sense proportionally when compared to the other 473 mL cans of Guayaki. 

In any case, you still get a fantastic kick out of this can. I noticed the initial effects within 15 minutes of consuming the first half of the can. I started to perk up and concentrate more on the tasks at hand. I felt like a cloud has been lifted off my brain. There were no jitters, just focus which lasted for about 20-30 minutes. After that I felt a bit more physically energized and was ready to do some laps. The kick lasted for almost 2 hours before me feeling pretty normal...as in not wanting to run around.

Great kick, I just wish it kept the proportionality of its larger counterparts. 

Scores:

Cost - unsure

Taste - 9.5/10

Energy - 6.8/10

Overall - 16.3/20...amazing taste but wish it had just a tiny bit more caffeine

Ocean Spray PACt Cranberry Extract Water

When I was in Michigan a few weeks ago, I got my hands on a few of Ocean Spray's new Cranberry Extract Waters from a Target near one of the airports...can't remember which one. The odd name comes from the word proanthocyanidins, or PACs for short, which are a class of polyphenols found in cranberries, the main ingredient of the PACt waters...get it? Supposedly these waters are supposed to help cleanse and purify your body better than water alone. But all I want to know is - how do these taste?

Cranberry Mango Passion Fruit

The mango here is predominant in the aroma and in the taste. Right after the initial mango hit, you get a medium-rich cranberry flavor that fills the middle and end of each sip. The cranberry portion is just a touch tart near the end to give you a clean finish. The passion fruit is very subtle and I didn't get very much of it until near the finish.

Taste - 8.2/10

Cranberry Pomegranate

The pomegranate dominates the aroma and the finish of this flavor. The cranberry base is dominant at the start of each sip but quickly gives way to the tart pomegranate notes. Very  interestingly balanced taste. Both flavors are tart, giving this beverage a rather dry finish.

Taste - 7.8/10

Cranberry Raspberry

This one has a very nice sweet raspberry-heavy aroma with a good amount of cranberries. The taste is very similar with sweet, ripe raspberries upfront, followed by a moderately tart cranberry notes. The aftertaste has a medium sweetness and carries a raspberry-heavy tone.

Taste - 8.5/10

Overall Impressions

Unlike other flavored waters, all of these flavors were very intense and I would be more inclined to call them soft drinks...or whatever, but not waters.

The one disappointing thing about this water is the heavy sweetener presence in the aftertaste. Yes, these are waters and yes they are flavored, so in order to get some intensity, depth and flavor profile something needs to be added in addition to the natural flavors. I get it, but the sweeteners took the experience down a few notches for me.

Purity Organic Green Lemonade

I know it looks gross, but don't judge it by its looks until you read this review. I picked this one up from a Target when passing through...Troy, Michigan? Somewhere in Michigan. The bottle set me back $2 and there were a few different types of this Purity Organic, but the green stuff really caught my eye.

Speaking of green stuff, the green comes from the kale, spinach and spearmint added to the beverage. Despite the greens, the aroma is mostly lemon and honey with just a hint of mint. The flavor is also heavy on the lemon...aaaand the honey towards the finish. Mint is present but mostly in the aftertaste and compliments the sour lemon finish with a chilly zing. This beverage is also quite sweet, more sweet than I expected. The honey and agave account for around 43 grams of sugar, which is a lot. The greens are there mostly for color and nutrients because I didn't really notice them.

The Green Lemonade is very refreshing and easy to drink, but the sweetness killed it a little for me. I had to get some water when I was done with this beverage.

Scores:
Cost - $2
Taste - 8.5/10

Grace Sparkling Coconut Water

For those of you who are not familiar, Grace is a manufacturer and distributor of Jamaican products across Canada and the Great Britain. In Canada, Grace's products are available at every grocery store that has even the tiniest international section.

Though Grace manufacturers and distributes Jamaican products, the coconut waters that I reviewed for this post are actually made in Vietnam because Vietnam is a huge grower and exporter of coconuts and coconut products.

Original

This flavor has an earthy tone to its predominant coconut aroma. The carbonation is medium and fits the coconut flavor. Any more and I don't think it would have worked, any less and it would have been a tease. The coconut flavor has a medium intensity and is a little salty due to the carbonation process. The saltiness sounds odd, but it works and makes the drink even more refreshing than it already is and gives the finish a lingering and rich coconut aftertaste. This is nowhere as good as the fresh coconut juice I had at the Cold Pressery, but it is one of the better ones I have tried.

Taste - 9/10

Pomegranate

Not much of a difference in color, but a sweet, floral aroma is present. The flavor is a little sweeter and very perfumy but without any apparent pomegranate notes. The flavor is muddled and seems like something is there in addition to the coconut, but not sure what. There is even no acidity that you would normally expect to taste in a pomegranate drink. Maybe I got a dud.

Taste - 6/10

Lemon

This one seems to have a slight yellow tint to it. The lemon comes through in the aroma and mixed with the coconut creates a creamy illusion. The lemon flavor is very light throughout and is eclipsed by the coconut for most parts. It does come out in the finish and gives the aftertaste a lingering, refreshing lemon note. Surprisingly good combination of flavors. Very refreshing.

Taste - 9.2/10

GoodDrink Organic Spritzer Wild Blackberry

Wow, this GoodDrink Spritzer has an amazing blackberry aroma. I can hold the can under my nose for hours. It has the potency of a Jolly Rancher-filled field of berries!

The flavor is not bad either, but definitely not as potent...at least at first. The start of each sip is a little watery but as the liquid travels down your tongue, the profile develops and the flavor almost the same Jolly Rancher potency as the aroma near the end...with a slightly citric, wild spike.

The only thing separating the blackberry flavor from the real thing is the candy-like finish, which I absolutely love. It is just sweet enough to give you the sensation of having enjoyed a piece of blackberry candy, but not sweet enough to make you want some water.

Delicious. Love that candy-like finish with a touch of acidity.

Taste - 9.2/10

Lipton Sparkling Iced Tea Lemonade

Guys, I found the Lemonade! The missing piece to my Lipton Sparkling Iced Tea reviews puzzle. I bought this one from a WalMart somewhere in Maryland when I was down there a couple of months ago. I think I paid $0.99 for it.

This iced tea looks like an iced tea (color and all), but pours like a sparkling beverage (duh). Once the carbonation dies down you get a helping of freshly brewed tea aromas with a sweet lemon undertone.

The flavor starts off on a typical Lipton brewed tea base, but a medium-sour lemon comes in slow at first and then fast to take over. Initially the lemon is subtle, but it very quickly builds up a sour spike before giving way to the sweetened finish.

The finish is sweet at first, but the earthy tea notes help keep the sweetness from building up. Some lemon is also present adding some depth.

I love this lemonade. It is refreshing, has just the right amount of sweetness and the lemon/tea combo is a great one. Will definitely buy again from the US.

Scores:
Cost - $0.99
Taste - 9.5/10

Rise Kombucha Hibiscus and Rose Hips

Love, love, love the look and feel of this bottle. I don't love the price, though - $3.89.

The Rise Kombucha is quite carbonated, which caught me off guard. Its aroma is quite typical for a Kombucha but does have some unique rosehip and hibiscus notes.

The flavor is on the sour end with a trail of tart hibiscus and slightly more sweet Rosehips. Though there are only 14 grams of sugar in the entire bottle, the tea seems perfectly sweetened. Thanks to this there is just enough candy sweetness from the raw cane juice to give the tea depth. The aftertaste is long with hibiscus and a lingering, very distant note of rosehips. The nasty Kombucha flavor that I am normally not a fan of is kept to a minimum so I really enjoyed this tea.

Taste - 8.2/10

Blu-Dot Protein Tea Orange Pineapple Green Tea

Wow, what a long name - Blue-Dot Protein Tea Orange Pineapple Green Tea...you see the redundancy in the name there?

Well, the Blue-Dot tea is available at many places around our neck of the woods (Toronto) and I got mine from the local Loblaws for $2.99. Being a protein tea, the bottle contains 12 grams of protein and 6 grams of fibre.

This Blue-Dot has an amazing orange aroma with just a bit of tangerine. The flavor is on the lighter end of the spectrum at the start of each sip, but after the initial tongue hit, the flavors emerge. Orange is predominant and the pineapple doesn't come until well into the finish. The green tea? Well, that can be felt at the back of the tongue in between sips...so yeah, not very strong but there. Unfortunately, because this is a sugar-free beverage, the artificial sweetener (stevia) is way too heavy for my liking and I think it ends up taking this down a few notches. The added protein tends to dry out the aftertaste which I found counter-productive to the whole "orange-refreshing" image this bottle seems to broadcast. It also adds a soy-heavy note, which like the "stevia", I do not like.

I found this to be refreshing while drinking, but once you stop and let the artificial sweetener creep up, it knocks the beverage down a bit.

Taste - 6/10

Sealand Birk Review

Sealand Birk is a new beverage that just made its way to the shelves of the Shoppers Drug Mart near our place for $2.49 per drink. Though this is the first time I have ever seen, or heard of this beverage, apparently it has been available in the US for a few years now in bottles.

What is special about the Canadian release, at least to the best of my knowledge, my research online, and the broken www.sealandnr.com website listed on the package, is the cardboard container the beverage comes in. When I first saw it on the shelves, I thought it was a misplaced salt-shaker because, but when I picked it up, I felt the sloshing liquid and noticed the foil opening at the top. Great package, check it out below!

Sealand Birk is pure birch water, which is a relatively new thing to North America, but growing up in Europe, this stuff was everywhere, just like birch trees, which were everywhere. It was like our ginger ale/soda. I still buy bottles of birch water when I go to European stores in the GTA, but it is much more convenient to have this stuff sold at every Shoppers. 

The Original

It will be crazy not to start off with the Original flavor to set the baseline. If you are wondering, the Original flavor is just pure birch water with citric acid and a preservative. 

The water is almost clear, still and has a subtle and slightly tart birch aroma. The taste? Amazing. Yup, really good stuff. It is pure birch water with a light natural sweetness, a sour twist from the citric acid. It is hard to describe what birch tastes like, but if you like very lightly sweetened, freshly brewed white tea, then you will like birch water.

I loved this one and I downed the cardboard container in a few large gulps. I am definitely buying more.

Taste - 10/10

Ginger and Lime

There don't seem to be any colorants in the beverage as this one is as clear as the Original. In fact, the only extra ingredient is the added flavor. 

The Ginger & Lime birch water smells like a ginger ale with a subtle lime twist...nothing that I shouldn't expect. It tastes like a flat ginger ale that has been watered down with birch water with a squeeze of lime for a good measure. The added lime leaves the finish dry and made me reach for a glass of water to rehydrate myself. It sounds underwhelming, but it actually is very refreshing and on a hot summer day, it will be a wonderful beverage

Taste - 9.5/10

Raspberry

The raspberry aroma is veeeeery subtle, even more subtle than the birch juice. On the palate, the raspberry is a little bolder, but still fairly subtle. The finish is more tart than the previous 2 flavors, which gives drink the sensation of biting into a seed for a refreshing, short-lived burst of flavor. The finish is just as dry as the Ginger & Lime flavor and gets drier with each sip. The raspberry notes linger longer than the birch giving off a refreshing sensation.

This one is very refreshing and light on the palate.

Taste - 9.6/10

Elderflower

Another very common beverage flavor in Europe....and also another favorite of mine.

Aroma-wise, the elderflower flavor has the second strongest aroma, right after the ginger one. The taste is a little sweeter than the other flavors, which I found very enjoyable. The increased sweetness reminded me of sipping elderflower syrup as a kid at my grandmother house.

The flavor also seems to be a little more tart at the finish making this my favorite of the flavors (not counting the Original). The finish is a little sweet at the start but tart in the long tun.

Taste - 9.9/10

Overall, I thought that all of the Sealand Birk flavors were fantastic and will definitely buy them again.

Coca-Cola Life and Comparison

Coca-Cola Life, or Green Coke, or Coke Green, or whatever else you want to call it saw a slow roll out to several countries over the past couple of years. Well, I finally saw a can when I went down south of the border for the weekend, so I just had to pick up a case and see what the fuss is all about. For the review I also decided to pick up a can of regular Coke and do a side by side comparison. Unfortunately I couldn't procure a diet one for the full comparison, but oh well.

Taste

Off the bat the Green Coke is completely different. The mouthfeel is smoother and more rounded due to the reduced carbonation. It feels softer on the tongue. The head it produces when first poured also seems to be of finer texture with smaller bubbles than the regular Coke.

At first the taste seems to be the same, but after the immediate sweet hit on the tongue, comes a subtle sweetener taste which lingers well into the finish. The sweetener taste is not as pronounced as the normal Diet Coke, but somewhere in between the Diet one and the regular one.

The initial sweetness feels more candy-like, yet clean...like sucking on cane sugar. The cane sugar sweetness doesn't seem to stick around in the finish, but the Stevia does.

Other Differences

The Green Coke is labelled as a reduced calorie soda and a can of it clocks in at 90 calories and 24 grams of sugar, whereas the same can of regular Coke is 140 calories and 39 grams of sugar. The Green one also seems to have a bit more Sodium (35 mg) than the regular Coke (25 mg).

My Take

Yes, the Green Coke caught my attention and yes, I looked forward to trying it and reviewing it, but to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't buy it again and here are the 2 reasons why:

1. Mexican Cola is better - it is made entirely with cane sugar and the overall taste is much, much better than the Green Coke and the regular Coke
2. There is still a sweetener aftertaste - if I wanted a sweetener aftertaste, I would stick to the normal Diet Coke and avoid consuming any sugar at all

I love the packaging, but Coca-Cola Life fails to impress me. I think Pepsi pulled it off better with Next, which I used to purchase a lot of on each trip to the US until we got it in Canada.

Revive by 7up

I have been seeing Revive ads everywhere since coming to Vietnam but it took a week of constant bombardment to cave in and get a can...at Ba Na.

Revive is an Isotonic drink packed with vitamins like B3, B6 and B12...and probably a lot more. The drink tastes like a blend between light grapefruit drink and a less sweet 7up with a moderately salty finish due to the high sodium content. The finish is dry but the drink is super refreshing. A can will set you back about $1-$1.75 at cafes.