Coke Blah-k

I've recently succumbed to marketing hype and tried the new Coke Blak, "a blend of unique Coke refreshment infused with the true essence of coffee". Since I am both a Coca-Cola and coffee junkie (yep, I loves me some caffeine) you would think that this new product would be right up my alley.

Professional taste-testers like John Moore at Brand Autopsy use words like "nose" and "finish" to describe this beverage, but I would just have to say that my amateur taste buds were underwhelmed. It was better than I had expected; but despite Coke's promise of "rich smooth texture and a coffee-like froth", it tasted to me like a regular coke with coffee flavoring added. Not bad, but not outstanding -- and definitely not worth the premium prices (roughly $1.50-1.75 per 8-ounce bottle) being charged for it. It's being promoted as having "twice the caffeine and half the calories" of regular Coke, but the reduced calorie content comes from the addition of the artificial sweetener aspartame, which to me is what ruins this drink by giving it a noticeable diet-soda aftertaste.

Other opinions of Coke Blak have been even less enthusiastic. Many people outright hate it; one reviewer said it "tastes like twelve miles of ass." Said another: "The initial cola-excitement was overruled by the flavor of burned Awful House coffee that hasn't been swapped out since 11pm." Even those who sort of like it admit that they're not sure what the occasion would be for drinking it. One taste tester reported, "I can't see it becoming a regular beverage of choice for me. When I want a Coke, I'd rather have a regular Coke. And when I want coffee, I'd rather have fresh coffee," which is a very good point. Although I didn't think it was awful, it would never replace either coffee or Coke for me. I wouldn't want to drink it first thing in the morning, for example, nor would I want to wash down a pizza with it at night. But I might occasionally sip one with a cookie instead of a mid-afternoon cup of joe.

Bottom line: if you like the flavor of coffee, you may want to give Coke Blak a try. Act fast if you're curious, however; I suspect this stuff won't be around for very much longer.