Jordan Myrick
I love soda the way other people love coffee: It tastes great, I crave it, and I get headaches if I don’t have it. Some people might say I’m “addicted,” and to that I would sigh heavily and then agree with them.
While I consider myself a soda connoisseur, cola is not my specialty. I love Coca-Cola, but my experience with other colas is limited. I was excited to sit down and try all these cola-flavored drinks to see if my favorite, Coca-Cola, is really the best, and to find out what other colas are not getting enough credit.
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- Coca-Cola
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There is nothing, and I mean nothing, more delicious than an ice-cold Coca-Cola. It’s so crisp and carbonated and sweet and refreshing. My mouth salivates when I hear a can of Coke open. I wish we still lived in a time when people believed Coke was medicine. I can’t say enough good things about Coca-Cola. Now that I’ve tried the others, I can say it truly is the best cola on the market. I am a diehard Coke lover and this taste test only confirmed it more.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Sam’s Cola
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As much as I am a diehard Coca-Cola fan, I must admit that this Sam’s Cola from Walmart gets eerily close to tasting like Coke. If you’re having a huge pizza party and want sodas on the cheap, this would be a great option. Or if you’re using soda in something where it won’t be the solo star, like a rum and coke or a coke float, this would be a great, cheaper swap for the OG Coca-Cola.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- RC Cola
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RC Cola (or Royal Crown Cola) has such a fun, vintage aesthetic. That’s what initially drew me to the can. I feel like I should be wearing bell bottoms and feathering my hair while I drink it. Or at least having a That ’70s Show marathon. Other than Sam’s Cola, RC tastes the most like regular Coca-Cola out of everything we tried. The flavor is great, the packaging is cool, and it’s affordable: What’s not to like?!
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Shasta Cola
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Shasta Cola has a delicious, indescribable taste to it. It’s similar to Coca-Cola so it feels familiar, but it has its own little twist that makes it unique. There’s a very light fruitiness that is extremely intriguing. Tasting Shasta Cola felt more like tasting a fine wine than a canned soda. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been sleeping on this Coca-Cola alternative. It’s actually really good and I would absolutely buy it again!
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- Diet Coke
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I’ll be honest with you, I do not like Diet Coke. I think it tastes very, very bad. That being said, I admire Diet Coke. It has such a unique flavor that has captivated millions. The Diet Coke fan base is loyal and committed and, to be honest, terrifying. I knew I had to put Diet Coke on the list before I ever tasted it because I was scared that Diet Coke fans would burn my apartment down if I didn’t.
Credit: Merc / Target
Best of the Best
Best Budget
Best Cult Favorite
Most Unique
Best Sugar-Free
Other Products We Tried: Boylan Cane Cola, Zevia Zero Calorie Cola, Poppi Classic Cola, Virgil’s Real Cola, Olipop Vintage Cola, Pepsi, Coca-Cola (bottled), Fentimans Curiosity Cola
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Danny Palumbo
Jessica Block
I love all Coca-Cola
You are right about Coke I thank God for the person who created Cola cola there’s no other soda like it my family thinks so too! Rc and Shasta are awesome sodas also
Kroger brand Cola owns all (the Zero version, too). The Sam’s is okay, but loses in comparison. I still buy it often for convenience, though.
One Cola I bet you never had and that is Polar unless your from New England than I guarantee you would think it’s different. Connecticut has their own soda brand too, Foxon Farms. Birch beer is a thing in New England as well. Think rootbeer with a milder rootbeer flavor.
The fact that you didn’t include Pepsi makes me trust you and says all I need to know about your judgement.
I want to like RC, but it is more acidic and gives me the heartburn. 🙁
Surprised you didn’t even try diet Pepsi. Was this a blind taste test, as the single taster seems very Coca Cola biased.
Pepsi will forever be my favorite. This list makes me shake my head and weep.
I think Coke Zero is better than Diet Coke. Surprised to see it wasn’t even tried.
They’re very different in profile – apparently Diet Coke is closer to “New Coke”- but yeah, if you love Coca-Cola Classic, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar is the next best thing in a zero calorie offering.
Have you all done the old age Coke vs Pepsi? Pepsi is horrible FYI