Discontinued Holiday Soda Flavors We Wish Would Come Back

Say you will about big soda, I say it’s a tease. They are always bringing us new flavors (truly CONSTANTLY). Some of them are disgusting and disappear back into the bubbly ether from whence they came, never to be seen or consumed again—and others are absolutely frickin’ fantastic, yet they still find themselves back in the bubbly ether from whence they came, never to be seen or consumed again.

Falling in love with a new or seasonal soda flavor is a crapshoot, and we here at Sporked have shot a lot of crap. That is to say, we have tried many a limited edition holiday soda, some of which we still think about from time to time, just waiting for the day when big soda decides to do a revival of the flavor(s) and once again grace us with their brightly colored, corn-syrup-and-citric-acid-laden presence. And of course there are plenty others we aren’t sad to see go away. But this article isn’t about those. No. This is about the holiday soda flavors of yore that we wish would return to our beloved shelves for just one glorious night, that we may once again have the taste of Mtn Dew Fruit Quake and Coca-Cola Cinnamon upon our lips, and thus once again, feel the magic of Christmas (or Hanukkah or Macy’s, whatever floats your winter holiday boat).

Various Mountain Dew Holiday Limited Editions: Mtn Dew Holiday Brew, Mtn Dew Merry Mash-Up, Mtn Dew Ginger Snap’d, and Mtn Dew Fruit QUAKE

Here’s the thing, there is a Mountain Dew Wiki for a reason. That reason? There are roughly a bajillion and three flavors of Mountain Dew. And they keep discontinuing old ones, then bringing back old ones, then popping out new ones like it’s their job (which I suppose it is). Part of that Mountain Dew life cycle used to be the holiday limited edition flavor, which they did once a year from 2019-2022 with the releases of Mtn Dew Holiday Brew (Code Red Mixed with OG Dew), Mtn Dew Merry Mash-Up (Cranberry Pomegranate), Mtn Dew Ginger Snap’d (Gingerbread), and Mtn Dew Fruit Quake (Fruitcake). Now, none of these flavors were universally loved or hated (our soda critic gave it a solid C). That said, each one has a host of absolutely die-hard fans on the internet just champing at the bit for Mountain Dew to dew the unthinkable and re-release their preferred holiday concoction. Me, personally? I think they should bring them all back and sell them in a collectible variety pack just like Jones Soda used to do. Speaking of Jones variety packs…

Read our full ranking of the best Mountain Dew flavors

Jones 2005 Holiday Pack

Say it with me: BRING BACK GAG GIFTS BRING BACK GAG GIFTS BRING BA- are you saying it? BRING BACK GAG GIFTS!!!!

I am of the correct opinion that too many people are giving and receiving thoughtful, personalized, useful, or just plain aesthetic gifts these days. Whatever happened to being a little scared of what your brother got you for the holidays? Whatever happened to adding a sixth whoopie cushion to your collection after you farted in front of your cousin ONE TIME and he proceeded to gift you one for six straight holiday seasons? Last year, that (definitely hypothetical) same cousin got me a (definitely hypothetical) garlic press. What am I supposed to do with that—press garlic? I ALREADY HAVE A KNIFE AND IT PRESSES GARLIC JUST FINE. Alls I’m sayin is, Jones used to sell these perfectly good variety packs of holiday flavored sodas featuring Turkey and Gravy, Wild Herb and Stuffing, Brussels Sprout, Cranberry, and Pumpkin Pie flavored sodas, and I think they should bring them back. Not because people liked them—ohhhohoho no not that—but because it’s a fun family bonding experience to stare down a bottle of Turkey and Gravy soda and say “I will win today.” The fabric of society is fraying, so obviously people need to try more gross sodas with their families. I say BRING IT BACK!

Cranberry Sprite (not Winter Spiced)

We all know that since 2019, the holiday Sprite flavor has had a twist: warm spices. For some, this is a welcome change from the plain cranberry Sprite that graced grocery stores’ holiday shelves from 2013-2018, but for others, this spiced offering represents a step backward for Sprite, seeing as many people out there would call the pre-2019 Cranberry Sprite (with no spice) “practically perfect in every way.” And when you have created the Mary Frickin’ Poppins of holiday soda, you bring her the heck back for round two.

Sierra Mist Cranberry

RIP Sierra Mist in general, but a very specific and heartfelt RIP to Sierra Mist Cranberry, which, much like its Sprite Cranberry counterpart, is no longer with us. That said, the company did release a replacement flavor for the iconic Sierra Mist Cranberry. Much like Sierra Mist was replaced by Starry, Sierra Mist Cranberry was replaced by Starry Cranberry Blizz. Yes, “Blizz.” You can’t make this stuff up. Well, unless you are PepsiCo…then I suppose you can. Regardless, the Starry version is clear instead of red and has a more citrus-forward flavor, but I personally like my holiday sodas to be redder than Rudolph’s nose, so I will continue wishing for a small Christmas miracle even though I’m Jewish and have no idea how to do this: One can of Sierra Mist Cranberry, please, universe/Santa/Jesus (who do you ask?)!

Coca-Cola Cinnamon

Ah yes, the caramelly, warm, spice-forward, almost-mulled-cider of the soda world. People have been begging for this one to come back for two or three years now, and so far? Nada. That said, it would seem the stuff may still be available in the UK and occasionally in Canada, but here in the ol’ U.S. of A., you cannot find the Cinnamon Coke. And I think that’s a darn shame. Apparently, it is a subtle cinnamon, like you took the regular Coca-Cola spice mix (which, let’s face it, probably uses at least some cinnamon) and just turned up the dial slightly on that one flavor. I think it sounds subtle and delicious, and as someone who never got to try it when it was on shelves back in the day, I am so ready for it to once again hit shelves. So, what do you say Coca-Cola, inventor of the modern-day image of Santa Claus? Make my cinnamon dreams a reality?