Coca Cola - Signature Mixers - Smoky

introduction: i find it really exciting whenever a great product gets better, whenever an amazing classical drink gets a little extra something to work with. but in my experience this can only work if whatever makes that drink great is built upon, instead of being overridden completely.

taste profile: definitely smells smoky, which is rounded off by the subtle, yet easily recognisable Coke smell. surprisingly, the taste of smoke hits you right in the face - it is indeed a masterful mix between the classical taste of Coke and a range of smoky flavours. the smokiness of it is given by the ylang-ylang, but not necessarily in a way reminiscent of ylang-ylang incense sticks. the aftertaste is purely of Coke - this bodes well with me. i can’t genuinely see this working well with an expensive spirit, but it does reasonably well on its own.

rating: 8/10. if the ylang-ylang did not scream “artificial flavours”, this would have been even better. perhaps it isn’t synthetic after all, but that’s the result you get when mixed with Coke. i appreciate the novelty of it and would be able to recommend it to anyone - at the cross between a distinctive and well-known classical soft beverage and the allure of “mixology” stand this one and I’m enjoying it.