Diet Coke has had a bit of an upgrade in recent years. All of a sudden, a bunch of new flavors were available. Twisted Mango and Zesty Blood Orange were two of the most intriguing, especially because Coca-Cola rarely makes such huge changes to their lineup. But this time around, it’s regular Coca-Cola that’s getting the new addition.
Even better, the flavor is something you may not expect. The flavor is called Orange Vanilla, and they’ll also be rolling it out as a Coke Zero Sugar flavor, in case you’re curious but not a fan of the cals. It’s big news for Coke, who prior to only had Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke to their name.
According to Delish, the flavor is pretty similar to a creamsicle. So, it’s the perfect thing to have after a hard day of work. It’d be even better in the summer time, so hopefully it’s a flavor that sticks around for a bit. Delish also reports that the soda smells a lot like oranges and has a sweet flavor to it. With the creamsicle being its inspiration, you probably shouldn’t have expected anything different.
So, when can you get your hands on it? Luckily, sooner than you think. Orange Vanilla Coca-Cola and Orange Vanilla Coke Zero Sugar will be hitting shelves on February 25th.
Both new versions of the soda will be available in 12-ounce cans and 20-ounce bottles. Delish did admit that for the Coke Zero Sugar, there were more notes of vanilla than orange. It’s interesting to see how the same flavor can be completely different between two somewhat similar products.
It’s possible the flavor was concocted based on Coca-Cola Freestyle, which is a machine found in a ton of eateries and restaurants.
If you’ve never given it a shot, it’s a lot of fun. You can create your own combination based on the various amount of flavors the machine has.
You can imagine that Coca-Cola probably measures the most popular mixes. From there, they can decide what to sell in stores.
Even if it was popular, not everyone is happy about it. In fact, the flavor sounds too sweet for many consumers.
For some, it wasn’t the sweetness. It was the flavor in general.
Why? They might as well make a cigarette flavor too.
— Bicentennial💊 (@DrBicentennial) February 8, 2019
Others took it as a chance to complain about the lack of Coke Zero. Yes, there’s Coke Zero Sugar out there now, but true fans can tell there’s a difference.
Coca-Cola won hands down with 'Coke Zero' .period. 😍
— *Val-In-The-Zone* (@chirpydove) February 8, 2019
But, there are some people out there who are excited. And honestly, it’s hard to believe that Coke fans won’t at least give this flavor a shot.
Orange creamsicle? Could be awful but I'd still try it.
— Peter Joseph Finaldi (@PeterJFinaldi) February 8, 2019
It may be terrible. Or, it may be a new favorite. Remember they took a chance on Cherry Coke once upon a time, and now it’s a classic.
How do people think this is gross??? Sounds amazing
— Mike Cilly (@Mcil9518) February 8, 2019
Others felt like lemon should have come first. Since Coke used to always be served with a lemon slice at diners back in the day, it seems like a logical flavor to join Cherry and Vanilla.
It also seems like it’d be a popular flavor among kids. Even though everyone has enjoyed a creamsicle regardless of age, it really reminds you of those ice cream truck days.
Plus, Coca-Cola isn’t the first, or last, beverage company to test out a drink that tastes like this frozen favorite. The company Wild Leap has an IPA called Truck Chaser that reportedly also tastes like a Creamsicle.
OVB also sells an IPA with a similar flavor. So if beer can do it, why not soda?
If you’re not happy about the new flavor, it might be time you concoct your own on a Coke Freestyle machine. Not only will you have endless choices, but that data may be put to good use.
As for Coke, hopefully it won’t be another ten years before they add a new flavor. Even though there’s a ton of great options to choose from with Diet Coke, sometimes you just want a fun can of the original stuff.
Next time Coca-Cola is having a sale, might as well pick some up. It sounds like it’ll be the perfect soda to drink when Easter rolls around.
