What Is the Flavor of Mountain Dew, Actually?

If you came up to me on the street and asked, “What does Mountain Dew actually taste like?” I’d look you straight in the eye and say, “College.” I had a lot of friends in my journey through higher-education who were obsessed with the stuff, and I drank more than my fair share throughout those years. Now, Mtn Dew (as it’s stylized now, since vowels are for dweebs) doesn’t sell a “College” flavored can, but it does pack a nostalgic punch for anyone who grew with the Dew. But what is that flavor actually? Let’s find out. 

What is the flavor of Mountain Dew?

Classic Mountain Dew is labeled as a citrus soda, which is often compared to lemon-lime. It originally touted its formula’s use of actual orange juice in the recipe. But, if you ask me, it tastes a little less like all these delicious citrus fruits, and a little bit more like “liquid electricity.”

How many flavors of Mountain Dew are there?

Depending on who you are, you’ll either find the official number of available Mountain Dew varieties to be alarmingly high or alarmingly low. As it stands right now, the grand total of flavors is 32, however many of them are only sold in certain very specific places. 

You can get your classic green Dew, in regular and diet, in any manner of grocery or convenience store. It’s so common, it should be coming out of the faucets. Code Red, Flamin’ Hot, Major Melon, Live Wire, and flavors of that ilk are deeper cuts, but are still theoretically available to be sold by any store that wants to carry them. 

Then we get to the flavors that are sold through various exclusive partnerships. These are the rare Dews that need to be savored whenever the opportunity arises, for who knows when they’ll be available to your taste buds next? This line-up includes Baja Blast, the turquoise Mtn Dew that lives exclusively in Taco Bell fountain machines. Mtn Dew Sweet Lightning, which is flavored like “peaches and honey,” can only be sold at KFC. Got a hankering to try Mtn Dew Purple Thunder? Well, then you’re on a quest to the nearest Circle K Convenience Store, because if you’re buying it anywhere else, the Feds will be on your tail! Other partnerships include Frost Bite (Walmart), Legend (Buffalo Wild Wings), Thrashed Apple (Kroger), and Maui Burst (Dollar General). In fact, I bet if you asked them nicely, Mtn Dew would even partner up with you on something. Give it a try. 

And then, if you haven’t ascended into some form of higher Mtn Dew-based consciousness after consuming all of those, we can move on to the online-only Dew flavors. Yep, that’s right, there are more! Mtn Dew’s online store sells five exclusive formulas of “Game Fuel” including Orange Storm, Tropical Spike, and a few others. They also recently added back the fan-favorite Typhoon, flavored like Strawberry & Pineapple. And then there’s the upcoming Mtn Dew Summer Breeze. And the annual mystery flavor, Voo Dew. Not to mention the Hard Mtn Dew flavors!

I think that’s all, though. And I do mean “all” in the definitive sense…they’ve made ALL the possible flavors. Until they come out with Mtn Dew Walnut Thrash or Mtn Dew Tap Water Explosion, you’ll just have to pick one of the many real Dew varieties on your store shelves, online shopping cart, or KFC fountains. Happy sipping!