We Tried Canada Dry Fruit Splash (Zero Sugar, Too!)

Canada Dry is one of those brands I always forget about. Why? Because it is so synonymous with ginger ale in my dumb little animal brain that I think of Canada Dry as “just ginger ale,” and I think of all the other ginger ale brands as “Canada Dry knockoffs.” That said, I am definitely a “ginger ale is strictly for sickness and planes” kind of gal, so imagine my surprise when Canada Dry released something called Canada Dry Fruit Splash (made with a splash of real juice) in both regular and zero sugar, potentially changing the ginger ale game forever. I had to try it to find out if it’s as juicy and refreshing as the name makes it sound.

New Product!

Canada Dry Fruit Splash

Walmart

The first smell that hits you when you crack open a can of Canada Dry Fruit Splash is a nostalgic whiff of Shirley Temple. That’s right, this stuff smells like Ginger Ale mixed with grenadine (that red, syrupy deliciousness that goes in Shirley Temples, Tequila Sunrises, and pretty much any mocktail or cocktail that is bright red). And if that doesn’t paint an olfactory picture for you (the best kind of picture, second only to the kind Nickelback holds up), it smells like ginger ale plus just a touch of pomegranate or maraschino cherry juice. But enough about the smell, let’s get into the taste!

Pros:  Spoiler alert, this stuff tastes exactly like it smells, ie. quite good. It has a lovely blush color to it and a great cherry flavor akin to a Shirley Temple. It is sweet but not too sweet, acidic, bright, fruity, juicy, and very, very bubbly. It has none of that strange chemical aftertaste or cough syrup character that cherry-flavored drinks sometimes have. All told, it is pretty much a canned Shirley Temple with a slight hint of ginger, and it WORKS.

Cons: I don’t know if this is a con or just an observation, but the regular version of Canada Dry Fruit Splash is, ironically, not as sweet as the zero sugar offering, and I think this does make the fruit flavor slightly weaker in the corn syrup-sweetened version. I truly have nothing else to report here, this is a delicious and refreshing soda. I would buy Fruit Splash Canada Dry with my own money.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

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New Product!

Canada Dry Fruit Splash Zero Sugar

Kroger

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this one smells like our friend Shirley as well (Temple, that is), and sports the same rosy hue as its real sugar counterpart. It has a very faint chemical scent when you don’t chill it ahead of time (yes, I tried both kinds chilled and un-chilled; yes, I am aware I’m a hero). But hey here’s a thought—just pop it in the fridge for a bit or pour it over ice and I promise you won’t smell anything off in this drink.

Pros:  Canada Dry Fruit Splash Zero Sugar, surprisingly, tastes just as good as the corn syrup-sweetened version, if not slightly better. It’s a bit sweeter than the regular, which I actually don’t mind in this case. Plus, when both regular and zero sugar are fresh out of the fridge, the sweetness of the zero sugar actually makes the fruit flavor shine a bit more than it does in the regular version, giving it not only that classic maraschino/grenadine one-two punch but also a hint of something akin to a super ripe plum or pluot on a hot summer’s day. Maybe that’s the “splash of real fruit juice” they claim is in there or maybe it’s Maybelline, but I’m tellin’ ya, this stuff is good.

Cons: If you don’t like alternative sweeteners and you love to drink soda warm you will definitely taste the aspartame in here, but when it is cold it is pretty undetectable. Also, if you like things a bit less sweet, the regular one is the way to go.

Credit: Liv Averett / Kroger

Rating:

8.5/10

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