We cover a lot of new soda releases here at Sporked. A lot of them are updated takes on beloved brands, like Coca-Cola, Mtn Dew, and Dr Pepper—and, frankly, a lot of them make us wonder why brands try so hard to improve upon sodas that were pretty flawless to begin with. We’re Coca-Cola purists. We’re Mtn Dew purists. But a new summertime soda is putting our Dr Pepper-purist status to the test. Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut and its no-cal counterpart, Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut Zero Sugar, are hitting stores as we speak. And at risk of spoiling our full review, I gotta say, this stuff is pretty nuts.
- Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut
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Dr Pepper is, famously, a concoction of 23 flavor components—will one more spoil the bunch? Well, if the flavor is strawberry, yes, but if it’s creamy coconut…definitely not. Everyone on the Sporked team really freaked for this soda.
Pros: My colleague Jordan Myrick is of the opinion that this new soda tastes like Dr Pepper poured over a hunk of fresh coconut. But there’s definitely a creamy component, too. To me, this tastes like Dr Pepper spiked with sweet, delicious coconut snow cone syrup. Basically, whether you like fresh coconut or you like saccharine faux-coconut, you’re gonna like this soda. The coconut flavor is bold but it doesn’t taste like suntan lotion, which is a real feat for a coconut-flavored product. Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut is, and I can’t stress this enough, delicious. And it still tastes like Dr Pepper.
Cons: Okay, I know I just said this still tastes like Dr Pepper (and it does), but the coconut flavor is the most prominent component. As I wrote in my notes, “It’s not 23 flavors plus coconut, it’s coconut plus 23 flavors.” And this probably goes without saying, but if you hate coconut, you’re not going to like this soda.
- Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut Zero Sugar
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Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut Zero Sugar tastes very much like the corn syrup-sweetened version, although I think the intensity of the artificial sweetener (aspartame) does counteract the intensity of the coconut flavor.
Pros: If you’re a diehard diet soda drinker, you probably aren’t going to be tasting this Zero Sugar Dr Pepper Creamy Coconut alongside the original version—which means you won’t notice the discrepancy. In fact, forget you even read this! Just go drink and enjoy your soda!
Cons: If you’re not a diehard diet soda drinker, you will certainly notice the aspartame aftertaste in this can. But it’s not a deal breaker. Promise.