It feels like it’s been a Flamin’ Hot minute since I’ve done the Dew.
I’m jealous of all you hardcore Dew heads out there who manage to track down every flavor (I imagine you call yourselves “Dewds and Dewdettes,” naturally.) I know there are grinders out there who don’t let any regional release or store exclusives stand in the way of their doing of the Dew.
Me? I’m a big Mountain Dew fan, but at this point, half the names feel like fever dreams. Every time I turn around, there’s a new one on the market. It’s hard to keep track. The last Dew I had was red, but it wasn’t Code Red. You know the one! When was that released? Am I way behind?
Either way, I liked it. It was a headache in a bottle, but it tasted good. What can I say? I’m getting old, and the sugar rush goes straight to my dome. Actually, I think Mountain Dew could use that as a slogan. Mtn Dew: It’s a headache in a bottle, but it tastes good! Enter the two new Dew – Baja Gold and Baja Mango Gem. Guess what? They’re no exception.
Baja Gold is pineapple flavored, while Baja Mango Gem tastes like mango, with zero gem flavor to be found anywhere. I can honestly say I’ve had maybe two pineapple sodas and no mango. Couple that with the fact I’ve been a fan of the Baja variants since the OG at Taco Bell, and I was fired up to try these.
Well, what I can tell you upfront is, yeah, both of these are cloyingly sweet – too sweet if I’m being honest, but we all know what to expect from Mountain Dew. I couldn’t fathom drinking a full 20 ounces of either of these in one sitting, let alone both, but they were delicious in moderation.
Baja Gold tasted like the ripest chunk of pineapple you’ve ever had, inexplicably rolled in pure cane sugar. It’s essentially pineapple Life Savers in liquid form. My only real frame of context when it comes to pineapple sodas are Goya and Jarritos, and I think this stacks up pretty well in comparison. It’s vibrant, smells incredible, and has that tiny, almost peppery bite on the finish like the best pineapple usually has.
Pineapple is criminally underutilized by soda companies, and this lived up to the hype I built up in my head. I know Dew had a pina colada-inspired flavor at one point, and I’m really bummed I missed it.
Baja Mango Gem didn’t pack as much as a punch, but it was equally good.
Finding super ripe mangoes near me is always a total crapshoot, so I am a big fan of dried mango, and this soda tasted just like that. It didn’t pop quite like Gold but had a nice sweet mellow flavor that really made me think of those little dried fruit jerky pieces.
Mango and orange aren’t exactly similar, but this had a similar sensation to a less intense orange soda. It kinda falls somewhere between the typical orange soda and those creamsicle-flavored novelty sodas. It’s not “creamy” per se, but sweet and smooth.
It’s admittedly dumb even to mention this about a Mountain Dew release, but they still caught me a bit off guard with the sugar content. The fructose corn syrup in these drinks is higher than Snoop Dogg.
In the end, both are really nice, but they’re a headache in a bottle. I say definitely do these Dews, but don’t be shocked if you polish off the bottle and have a stomach ache soon after.
Purchased Price: $2.29 each
Size: 20 fl oz bottles
Purchased at: Quick Chek
Rating: 7 out of 10 each
Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 0 grams of fat, 85 milligrams of sodium, 74 grams of total carbohydrates, 74 grams of total sugars, and 0 grams of protein.
