Like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola also offers a cherry version of their classic cola soft drink product, called Coca-Cola Cherry Cola. Note that I call this cherry cola, because this is still a cola, and not simply a red cherry pop. Coke Cherry Cola tastes like they added a hint of cherry flavoring to the original formula, as the classic Coke taste and texture still appear to my taste buds to be a large part of this cherry-flavored Coke. Like classic Coke, this newer flavor is not overly sweet and fizzes a lot in the glass.
Now, a I drink a chilled 20-ounce plastic bottle of Coca-Cola Cherry, that signature Coke flavor cannot be hidden behind the cherry. Normally, I don’t like colas with other flavors added except for lemon and lime. But this cherry flavor really flows down smoothly and makes a wonderful base mixer in some of the world’s favorite drinks.
Benefits, Pros, Features, and Advantages
- That blend of cherry essence and cola flavor retains a portion of that original Coke taste, and builds upon it with a more modern fruit squeeze.
- Coca-Cola original formula is low sodium, at just 75 milligrams per 20-ounce serving.
- The red and white label makes Coca-Cola easy to find amid the hoards of other soft drinks at the store.
- The Coke taste is smooth, fizzy, and moderately sweet, although not as sweet as Pepsi Cola. To me, Coca-Cola has more of a cola flavor than does Pepsi, which draws me to it.
- The flavor is nostalgic, in spite of the added cherry flavor. That original Coke Classic taste still comes through so that folks raised with Coke as an occasional 1960s and 1970s treat will still be taken in their imaginations, back to those long-ago but simpler times. Cherry coke is not a far deviation from original Coke. This soda thus, well-deserves the Coke name. To have simply called this drink Cherry Pop would have done it a grave injustice, since so much of the original Coca-Cola is herein.
- This beverage has a pronounced and pleasant cherry aroma.
Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Concerns
- I noticed a sour aftertaste several minutes after a swig of this soft drink. I do not experience this with any of the Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi sodas including Coke Zero and Pepsi Max. But I do notice it with all the regular Coke and Pepsi products (those with sugar and high fructose corn syrup). So I’m guessing that it’s the sugar in this cherry cola that’s to blame.
- Yes, this is a sugary soft drink that contains 260 calories per 20-ounce bottle; slightly more than original Coke. So diabetics should avoid this cola except for under controlled circumstances, and they should always have their insulin standing by. But really, there’s less reason to regularly drink a sugary pop these days with the advent of Coke Zero and the improved versions of Diet Coke out there (Diet Lime Coke for example). So I do not drink Cherry Coke except on rare occasions, such as while writing this review.
- This cola contains 57 milligrams of caffeine in a 20-ounce bottle, just like original formula Coke. This is a medium-level amount for a caffeine-laden soft drink, and a few milligrams less than Pepsi Throwback which I’ve reviewed previously. I’ve not yet come across a caffeine-free version of Cherry Coke.
- The best-if-used-by date was two months out from the date I brought this bottle home from the store. So, Coca-Cola Cherry Cola can be stored for a few months anyhow without degradation in taste. Given today’s concerns about plastic bottles and the chemicals from the bottle getting into the contained beverage, I don’t buy too far ahead.
Ingredients List
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, phosphoric acid, natural flavors, and caffeine.
Hmmm. The same list of ingredients as on original formula Coca-Cola. I guess the ingredients that create the cherry flavor are hidden under that natural flavors phrase.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 bottle (20 ounces).
- Calories: 260.
- Total fat: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Sodium: 60 milligrams, 3% DV.
- Total carb.: 0 grams, 23% DV.
- Sugars: 70 grams.
- Protein: 0 grams.
Product Rating
The time-tested flavor of Coca-Cola soda pop is perhaps my favorite of all cola soft drinks with the possible exception of Pepsi. Some might complain that the added cherry flavor in this product completely adulterates the original taste. But to me the cherry positively augments the original cola flavor, though I would not always drink this product instead of original formula Coke.
However, the sugar in this non diet drink is a little offensive. While I’d recommend this beverage for healthy folks, I’d warn my elders with prehypertension or high blood pressure to be careful consuming this version of Coke because of the caffeine, and diabetics not to gluttonously overindulge due to the high fructose sugar content. I’d therefore rate this product at 85 out of 100.
Where To Buy Coka-Cola Cherry Cola
Look for the clear bottles, cans, and cartons of Cherry Coke at your favorite grocery stores, convenience shops, and wholesale distributors. They sport a maroon and white version of the Coca-Cola script logo. I purchased mine at Sheetz here in Altoona.
References
Revision History
- 2015-01-18: Moved this post to the Tom’s Diet Quest blog, added whitespace, adjusted ad placement, revised content, and rearranged category and tag assignments.
- 2012-05-06: Originally published.