A Review: The New Coca-Cola BlaK

Well, it's here. Coca-Cola's foray into the realm of coffee-infused cola drinks. From what I've read online, Pepsi's done it already once or twice, but since I never heard of those drinks that came before, it's obvious their sales weren't what their creators had hoped for. Now it's Coke's turn. Let's take a look at it:

This is the Coca-Cola BlaK bottle. From an aesthetic standpoint, it's pretty nice-looking. Basically, it's a clear glass bottle with a designed plastic wrap shrunk around it, and a regular plastic twist-off cap. Overall, it's a good package. Eye-catching without going over the top, and if you happen to drop it, the shrinkwrap will most likely prevent glass from flying all over the place. If the picture looks a little strange, I assure you it's not stretched. This is a more slender bottle than the regular Coke bottles of the past. Another thing is the size. This is only eight (8) ounces of beverage. That's right, one measly cup. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the taste review will reveal shortly. Here's a comparison picture to give you an idea of how small the bottle is:

The Taste Test:

Yep. That's coffee in cola, all right. If that short sentence gives off an air of general indifference, you're not too far from the truth.

For those of you that like coffee, it's got a good scent. It basically smells like coffee. To taste it, well, it's a little bit of a shock to the system at first. Not a bad shock, just maybe like tasting something you've never tasted before, and having your brain hesitate momentarily to take it in before making a decision. My brain has decided that it's not bad. I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I do enjoy the occasional French vanilla cappucino from time to time. In fact, I used to buy the cappucino and chase it down with a Vanilla Coke, but I guess I can't do that anymore, can I? Once again, I digress.

As for the consistency and flavor, it seems to be just a tad thicker than regular Coke, and while this drink is still carbonated, it's not as carbonated as regular Coke. Maybe the thickness of the drink is just my brain mulling the concept of coffee while deciphering the whole experience...I don't know. It's actually a good mixture of cola to coffee, and neither is any stronger than the other. It goes down fairly smooth, and doesn't leave any harsh aftertaste. If anything, there's just a slight aftertaste of plain old coffee. As far as enjoying one of these quickly, like you might a cold Coke when you're extra thirsty, it's definitely not a chugging drink. This one is meant to sip or take short drinks of. This is why having only eight ounces is a good thing. One could get tired of this drink very quickly, if not taken in moderation. By the time you get to the bottom of the bottle, you're slightly relieved you made it. But don't get me wrong. It's not bad, just something that takes a little getting used to.

Obligatorily looking at the nutritional value of such a concoction, we find that, in a single serving bottle, it's not too bad. Sodium is 30mg (1% DV), total carbs (including sugars) is 12g (4% DV), calories are 45, and it has no fat. And since you probably won't be drinking more than one bottle at a time, perhaps per day (if you're so inclined), you won't need to feel guilty about taking something this odd into your body. The one thing that may be construed as bad is, this drink does contain Aspartame, so if you have a problem with that (as I'm aware lots of people do, and subsequently avoid it), then this drink may not be for you. Having said that...

Overall, I'd say Coca-Cola BlaK is a drink that I can definitely handle, and might enjoy once in a while as something of a treat...a "straying from the beaten path", as it were. I wouldn't drink it on a regular basis for two reasons: the taste, as described before, isn't bad, but is odd. People who aren't regular coffee drinkers probably won't go for it. Another reason: the price. I'm sure it's different in different areas, and I'm sure I could find it a little cheaper if I shop around, but I paid $5.99 for a four-pack. This isn't really unusual, since you see similar prices on products like Red Bull, and other specialty drinks like that. I remember back in the mid-90's being a little put off by the price of another didn't-last-too-long cola beverage, Royal Crown Draft. Now that was an excellent drink, and I would have bought that regularly...had it not been for the price of $3.50 for a four-pack. Of course, you got a little more cola in those 12-ounce bottles, as opposed to the 8-ounce bottles of Coke BlaK.

I don't think Coca-Cola BlaK is going to be around for long, and I really don't think they intended anything long-term with this one. But while it's here, I think people are going to be split right down the middle...one side will find it merely ok, as I have; while the other side won't have anything to do with it at all. But that's how it goes with consumers and the things they sell us to consume. Such is the game we play.

By the way, one good thing actually came out of this. As a result of meeting in the picture at the top of this post, my lonely can of Vanilla Coke now has a companion!

Like I said...he won't be around long.

;-)