Galvanina - Bio Cola

an Italian Coke clone? count me in. the presentation is absolutely outstanding, with its textured glass bottle and promises of being the product of a company which is “family run.”

taste profile: the smell’s caramel and probably kola nut, not entirely unexpected of a Coke clone. the taste is… nothing special, though it almost tastes like Coke “essence” - the flavours are so strong that they persist well into the aftertaste, making it an intense, but otherwise simple or straightforward tasting experience. by the way, this one seems to be particularly sweet, though it may just be my palette on the day. there are reflections of other flavours in the body of the drink, but i can’t really tell what these are; in fact, i may just be imagining things and it’s just the natural complexity of the ingredients.

rating: 6.5/10 - yet another Coke clone to add to the gallery. this one is mimics Coke fairly well so it may just land under the banner of “straightforward Coke clones.” what this one really has going for it are the bio credentials and the country of provenance - Italy. i am not too impressed and i may even find it difficult to finish it, as it’s too sweet to me. nonetheless, i may be getting to the bottom of the “why does this exist?” question - well, i bought this from Starbucks and i can’t remember seeing it in any other shop. i guess the trick with these is exclusivity - it may be that striking a deal with the Coca Cola Company means adopting the entire lineup of drinks - Fanta, Coke, Sprite etc., which companies like Starbucks may not be too big a fan of. couple that with the green credentials and the Italian aura this one comes with and you have a winner.