taste test

For several weeks, I have been intrigued by the ads that have been appearing for Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Chocolate. It kind of seems like a win, because I love Diet Dr. Pepper, cherries and chocolate. I was leery, of course, about the combination. If it had just been Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper, well, I think that would be good because it would be kind of like Diet Cherry Coke which is delicious. It’s the chocolate that is cause for concern.

I haven’t tried any of the other specialty Diet Dr. Peppers, which I believe are Berries & Cream and Cherry Vanilla. Berries in cola has absolutely no appeal, and neither does vanilla for me, really. But this cherry chocolate…so intriguing. Especially when I found a single 20-oz bottle for sale in Kroger. Obviously, you can’t commit to a 12-pack with a beverage like this. When I bought the drink, amidst a whole array of other items, it was the only one that the grocery bagger commented on. “What, are they putting food in our Coke now?” she said.

Well, tonight is the big night to try this new beverage, and I am blogging about it in case anyone else has been wondering. For reference, I am drinking this chilled, as opposed to with ice. I don’t really like ice in my drink.

If you swirl it around like you’re supposed to do with wine, you see a very distinct red tint. Clearly we are dealing with some cherry flavoring along the lines of Cheerwine here.

A chocolate scent is immediately distinguishable upon opening the bottle. Followed by a strong cherry finish. It smells kind of like a chocolate covered cherry.

Oh my, it tastes disgusting.

I am trying to think of what this tastes like. I think it kind of tastes like liquid Tootsie Roll. Like, you know how when you eat a Tootsie Roll, and then you kind of have saliva left over in your mouth, and you swallow it? That’s how I would sum up Diet Dr Pepper Cherry Chocolate.

I really can’t taste the cherry or the Diet Dr. Pepper in this concoction. Perhaps all the flavors are battling for dominance and all that’s emerging is crap.

Okay, you know what the problem might be here? I’m kinda hungry. Maybe this drink needs to accompany food. I’m going to go heat up a burrito.

No, food does not help the situation at all. I’d rather drink a burrito flavored beverage than this Diet Dr. Pepper Cherry Chocolate. And bear in mind, again, that I am a person who loves Diet Dr. Pepper, cherries, and chocolate. I just feel that that bears repeating. I guess that concludes this taste test. I suppose it’s possible that after dinner, the flavorful soda might serve as a kind of dessert wine, a full-bodied port, but I have my doubts about how long I’m going to keep drinking this

I would just like to send a message to the fine folks over at Diet Dr. Pepper, if they should ever happen to stumble upon this blog: please don’t hold this poor review of your product against me. I really really love Diet Dr Pepper. Send me a free case and I’ll frequently write about how great it is. Just please don’t send me a case of this flavored crap.

Tune in next time when I evaluate Diet Cherry Coke and Cherry Coke Zero. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? I HAVE NO IDEA!