Back for a 5th Halloween season, VooDEW Grim is here to deliver another mystery flavored ghost white soda wrapped in spooky graphics. In years past, the flavors have all been candy-themed, and while they were intended to represent fairly specific candies, like 2020’s “Fruity Candy Explosion” basically being Skittles, this year’s edition partners Mtn Dew with an actual candy brand.
They’ve offered up a few not particularly subtle hints about the flavor, so I’m going to be equally as unsubtle with offering my guess. If you’d rather try it without being biased, now is the time to pull your reaper hood over your eyes and slowly back away into your graveyard. Try not to trip over that mummy with the mohawk.
This year’s VooDEW is available in both regular and zero sugar, and I tried both before I did any research as to what the flavor was. The zero version was the first I found, and sniffing it, I thought it had a familiar scent, but beyond “fruity candy soda,” I couldn’t have told you what it was. Tasting it had a similar effect, except that I was totally distracted by the artificial sweeteners. As someone who typically enjoys all sorts of sodas, including zero and diet types, I’m surprised I found this one so offensive, but I just couldn’t overlook it. I guess I don’t want fake sugar when I’m drinking my candy?
I was feeling like this year’s flavor might be a disappointment, but thankfully, a friendly apparition in the form of the regular variety showed up in my grocer’s cooler. Things are much improved here. There’s a citrusy lemon-lime aspect in the vein of normal Dew (or maybe closer to Sprite or 7UP) with notes of other fruits like cherry. It leans much more sweet than last year’s decidedly sour edition.
It had me feeling like I should know what this is, but I’m not sure I could have placed it exactly without the help of Dew’s clues. With them, though, it made perfect sense. Calling it “SCAIRY” and dropping a red balloon emoji on their social media along with a Blair Witch-style video of people running through the woods being stalked by a red balloon, I can pretty confidently say this VooDEW is Airheads flavored. Typically, the non-color of the brew is part of the disguise with the blank slate not offering up any hints as to what it might taste like. This year, I think the flavor is hiding in plain sight: White Mystery Airheads. The candy is made with leftover flavorings that are hanging around, so if you try this and think it tastes like some blend of cherry, lime, raspberry, and whatever else, you’re probably right.
Overall, VooDEW 5 is a sweet, smooth drinking soda that I think most people will find enjoyable regardless of how they feel about Airheads as a candy. If you’re able to get the regular version of this scary sip, I highly recommend it over the zero.
Purchased Price: $2.29 (regular), $2.00 (zero sugar)
Size: 20 fl oz
Purchased at: Jewel-Osco (regular), 7-Eleven (zero sugar)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (regular), 6 out of 10 (zero sugar)
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) Regular – 270 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 80 milligrams of sodium, 73 grams of total carbs, 73 grams of total sugars (incl. 73 grams of added sugars), and 0 grams of protein. Zero Sugar – 0 calories, 0 grams of total fat, 80 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of total carbs, 0 grams of total sugars (incl. 0 grams of added sugars), and 0 grams of protein.
I thought it tasted similar to blue raspberry. I happened to like the zero sugar version.
I’ll be curious to see if they reveal it to be a specific Airheads flavor or just go with “Airheads”. I’m glad you got a chance to try it! I ended up buying two of the zeros before I found the regular so I’ll have to give it another shot and see if it grows on me.
I am interested in the Zero version but not a blue raspberry fan so maybe I will just buy one to try out of curiosity. “Airheads” doesn’t make sense as there are a variety of flavors .
As someone who loves blue raspberry, this definitely isn’t anything like it. It’s cherry.
A friend and I both thought it was Red Vines, from the first taste to the bottom of a can. Even now, that’s the flavor I get from it.
Either way, it’s much more drinkable than last year’s sour brew.
All of Pepsi’s zero sugar offerings are disgusting. I’m not sure which artificial sweetener they use, but it’s overpowering in everything. Coke’s zero sugar options, however, taste great to me. It’s a real shame because I would love a great tasting, zero sugar mountain dew.
Cherry Airhead
Yeah, it tastes exactly like a Cherry Airhead if you changed the sugar to artificial sweetner.
I Quite literally without the clues said same thing I know this flavor very well why can’t I place it ? ,then couple more sips and it hit me my favorite candy ever white mystery Airheaads because it’s got a little of each fruit note .I also wrestled with a slurpee or Icee flavors like blue raspberry or cherry lime bluerasberry it has a little of everything but not in a nasty way it’s so good !!!!!
It’s grape popsicle or jollys
I feel like it’s the Trolli neon sour gummy worms
I thought last year’s tasted like that.
The more I drink it, the more I taste the cherry but it has a slight odd after taste.
I thought it tasted like dissolved Smarties candy.
According to Mountain Dew it’s Cherry Airhead so good work everyone who guessed that!
Tasted like the Smarties candy to me
Cherry sweet tarts