NOTE: Mtn Dew Pitch Black and the Zero Sugar version will be released in January 2023. Thanks to Mtn Dew for sending samples.
Mountain Dew Pitch Black made its debut in 2004, a time before Mountain Dew lost most of its vowels to become Mtn Dew, which I assume happened because it drank a sugary soda and didn’t brush those vowels after. While Mtn Dew’s name got shorter on bottles and cans, Pitch Black’s description has gotten slightly longer. While the original was a Dew with a blast of black grape, this latest version describes itself as having a blast of dark citrus punch flavor.
Wait. What?
I have so many questions now. What the heck is dark citrus and why does it sound like something that would cause me to lose hit points in an RPG? Why doesn’t Mtn Dew say this is dark grape flavored? What is it hiding? Is it a dark secret? Is that dark secret hiding in a dark cave? Is it Batman? But I guess the most important question is: Does this Mtn Dew Pitch Black taste the same as Mountain Dew Pitch Black?
Yes, and it’s confusing that Mtn Dew is trying to push it as a “dark citrus punch” because when I drink it, all I can think of is grape Pitch Black. To be honest, despite it being one of my favorite Dew flavors of all time (Pitch Black I, not Pitch Black II), I kind of forgot what it smells and tastes like since it’s been so long. But all those memories came (pardon my use of this verb, Mtn Dew) blasting back with the first sniff and sip. Along with those memories came a bit of frustration that this flavor doesn’t come back as often as it should or isn’t permanent because it’s as delightful as I remember.
But Mtn Dew has not only brought back the beloved Pitch Black, it has also spawned a Zero Sugar version. It smells like the original and its flavor hits all the right grape-y notes, but it tastes like a somewhat watered-down version of the original with an artificial sweetener chaser. It’s fine, but I like regular Pitch Black so much that I feel it’s hard for me to accept the taste compromises that the zero sugar version has. There are other Zero Sugar Dew flavors that I don’t mind over the full sugar version, but this is not one of them.
I’m so happy Pitch Black is back, although I’m a little sad it’s no longer attached to Halloween. Enjoy it before it ends up back in the Mtn Dew vault, which I assume is in a dark cave in a dew flower-covered mountain that also contains whatever dark secret Mtn Dew is hiding.
DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Mtn Dew. Doing so did not influence my review.
Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 20 oz bottles
Purchased at: Received from Mtn Dew
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Original), 6 out of 10 (Zero Sugar)
Nutrition Facts: (20 oz bottle) Original – 280 calories, 0 grams of fat, 95 milligrams of sodium, 75 grams of carbohydrates, 75 grams of sugar, (including 75 grams of added sugar), 0 grams of protein, and 91 milligrams of caffeine. Zero Sugar – 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 85 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 91 milligrams of caffeine.