Dirty Mountain Dew and its zero sugar version are also available in 20-ounce bottles. No exclusivity here. UPDATE: Added photos of the 20-ounce bottles. (Cans spotted by Phil at Walmart. Bottles spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)
If you spotted something new, send your photos to [email protected].
After many, many varieties over the past decade, Monster’s Ultra line finally has a fruit punch flavor with its Punk Punch Energy Drink. Yes, it took a while, but it finally happened. I guess it’s appropriate because being late can be considered “punk.” It comes in a purple can with a darker purple top, which are two hues that would look great on a punk rocker’s mohawk.
According to the Monster Energy website: “Fruit punch with that punk rock edge. Ultra Punk Punch is loud, juicy, and zero sugar—amped-up energy for those who break the rules and make their own.”
I guess fruit punch with 150 milligrams of caffeine could be considered having a “punk rock edge.” But if that’s the case, Punk Punch would be the third fruit punch-flavored Monster Energy Drink with a punk rock edge. Let’s not forget the delicious and alliteratively named Pacific Punch and Pipeline Punch Energy Juices, which are some of my favorite Monster products of all time.
Much like finding out a punk song was built on three chords, it’s not surprising to see Monster offer another fruit punch-flavored energy drink. It seems like this year the company has been revisiting flavors from other lines, like the Monster Juice Voodoo Grape launching when Monster Ultra Violet, also grape-flavored, has been available for years.
With that said, I can’t help but think this is a zero sugar, juice-less version of the previously mentioned Monster Juice Pacific Punch. Both share a taste profile similar to most fruit punch drinks, although this new punch variation has a nice, mild sour finish. Yes, it’s a familiar flavor, but a classic one.
But while Pacific Punch can get a bit too sweet because of the sugar and juice, Punk Punch is easier to drink, at least for me. Maybe it’s because my taste buds are so used to Monster Ultra’s sweetness.
I enjoyed Monster Ultra Punk Punch so much that I see it becoming one of my regular go-to Ultra flavors, which include Ultra White and Ultra Violet.
Purchased Price: $3.50
Size: 16 fl oz can
Purchased at: Times Supermarket
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 370 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, 5 grams of erythritol, 0 grams of protein, and 150 milligrams of caffeine.
The Pop-Tarts Ice Cream Sandwich line has expanded with two new flavors. Will we see a pumpkin pie flavor in the fall and a sugar cookie one in the winter? (Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)
If you spotted something new, send your photos to [email protected].
Holy Deadpool & Wolverine! What the peppercorn aioli is this?
Earlier this year, Burger King rolled out the Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper, featuring a 1/4 lb beef patty topped with onion rings, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, Swiss cheese, and peppercorn aioli, on a toasted sesame seed bun.
In my review, I noted that it was a derivative of 2025’s Steakhouse Bacon Whopper, which featured a quarter-pound beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato, crispy onions, A.1. Sauce, bacon, Swiss cheese, and peppercorn aioli on a toasted sesame seed bun.
In this review, I’m going to point out that the new Peppercorn BLT Whopper is a derivative of both — and really should’ve been called the Ultimate Steakhouse Bacon Whopper. It features a quarter-pound beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato, bacon, Swiss cheese, and peppercorn aioli on a toasted sesame seed bun.
Either other universes are sending peppercorn aioli-topped Whoppers to ours, or Burger King’s Whopper creations are now produced via AI using the following prompt: “I’m the fast food burger chain, Burger King, and accidentally purchased too much peppercorn aioli. Using toppings I always have in stock, come up with new Whopper variations.”
Despite their many ingredient similarities, the peppercorn aioli Whopper variants have had different taste profiles. The Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper had a mushroom & Swiss vibe, the Steakhouse Bacon Whopper had a Western burger vibe, and this new one has a less straightforward vibe.
I didn’t notice this with the previous peppercorn aioli-topped Whoppers, but the sauce doesn’t really have a strong peppercorn flavor. Instead, I taste something that’s Caesar dressing-adjacent with most bites, and the crunch of the lettuce with it further convinces my brain that I might be eating a Caesar salad that was made in front of me at a high-end steakhouse by someone in a tuxedo.
But there are also times when the savory, porky bacon takes over and, along with the mild cheese, makes it taste like a no frills deluxe bacon cheeseburger, but with Swiss. While the beef patty offered a meaty flavor, I didn’t taste that usual flame-grilled-ness from it, which is a strange thing to miss in a Whopper.
Overall, it’s an okay tasting Whopper, and, if you’re from another universe, it’s not worth traveling to this one to try it.
Purchased Price: $10.19*
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 790 calories, 48 grams of fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 130 milligrams of cholesterol, 1590 milligrams of sodium, 57 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 43 grams of protein.
*Because I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.
As someone who doesn’t love beef, I highly appreciate the touchscreens at Taco Bell that allow you to make substitutions seamlessly—no fear of a disapproving gaze as I sheepishly swap to chicken. The only thing I’d enjoy more would be if the good people of Taco Bell revamped a classically beef-centric dish to include chicken from the get-go… and wouldn’t you know it, that’s exactly what they did with the new limited edition Crispy Chicken Crunchwrap Slider.
This isn’t the first Slider-ified Crunchwrap; it follows in the footsteps of last year’s Steak & Queso flavor. Where the OG Crunchwrap Supreme contains Nacho Cheese sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream, this new variant has crispy chicken as the main protein, plus a three-cheese blend, pico de gallo, and your choice of either Creamy Chipotle or Jalapeno Honey Mustard sauce. Being a slider, it’s also important to note that it’s smaller than the traditional Crunchwrap Supreme, making it ideal for a quick snack. (If you’re hungrier, you can even get it as part of the Discovery Luxe Cravings Box combo.)
While the Slider shares the same iconic hexagonal shape as the original Crunchwrap Supreme, mine wasn’t folded quite flawlessly, so I could see some sauce-coated bits of tomato peeking out. The small size came in handy here, since I was able to grip the Slider fully in one hand and keep the other ready to catch any fillings that might tumble out. My first bite was remarkably solid, which made sense when I realized I had bitten directly into one of the nuggets of crispy chicken. (“I see, it’s like a chicken nugget wrapped in a tortilla,” remarked my husband, who, I guess, had never heard of a Crunchwrap before? Technically, there were three chicken nuggets in there, but his observation was more or less accurate.)
I enjoyed the plumpness of the nugget and the tasty fried coating, even if it was a bit dry. That problem was mitigated by mouthfuls that had more mustard, though I still couldn’t help but think that shredded chicken would have been a better fit. I know, the whole reason this item exists is to promote the fact that Taco Bell sells chicken nuggets these days, but still! It also didn’t help that my Slider came out a bit lukewarm, and my suspicions that it hadn’t been properly heated all the way through were supported when I unwrapped it to see an abundance of unmelted cheese shreds.
The pico de gallo was mild, mostly sweet from the tomatoes, which obscured the onion’s bite. And speaking of “sweet with a bite,” the jalapeno honey mustard was a bit strange. I mostly tasted the acridness of the jalapeno, which was a tad too vinegary for my liking, though my very last bite somehow tasted like pure, classic honey mustard, so it wasn’t the most consistent sauce.
While the Crispy Chicken Crunchwrap Slider didn’t knock my socks off, I enjoyed it enough to try it again if the opportunity arises. Maybe my Taco Bell was just having an off day! Maybe I would fare better with the Creamy Chipotle! And if all else fails, I can always do a little more customizing on my beloved touchscreen.
Purchased Price: $2.99
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 320 calories, 12 grams of fat, 860 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.
