Tag: Pepsi

Confession: I’m a mango fiend.

I love them in savory or sweet dishes, juiced or whole. When my local grocery store’s supply is paltry, I will happily enjoy artificially flavored products to get my fix. Basically, if a mango is involved, I will likely be nearby, begging for a taste and sneaking leftovers into my Tupperware container for later. My love for the precious tropical stone fruit is why I was drawn to Pepsi Mango like a thirsty fruit bat to an actual mango.

Although Pepsi Mango – Pepsi’s first permanent flavor in five years – was a new discovery for me, the world has seen its likes before. Previously introduced as a limited offering in 2019, it joined lime and berry varieties to give Pepsi Wild Cherry competition as the brand’s most beloved fruit-and-cola mashup.

(Why am I late to the Pepsi Mango party? In 2019, I was likely still distracted by the release of Diet Coke Flavors, a lineup that included a mango version of my favorite caffeine source. Alas, those products, which I found too artificial and astringent-tasting to truly love, left me disappointed.)

Forgive the gaps in my soda experiences. The important thing is that today is a new day, and I get to experience Pepsi Mango now. The product’s package promises classic Pepsi “with a splash of mango juice and other natural flavors,” and even before my first taste, the juice’s presence made itself known. The soda’s aroma is wonderful and genuinely fruity. If it weren’t for the carbonation tickling my nose, I would have thought my glass was full of fresh juice or smoothie.

In the first sip, mango flavor is at the forefront. Like the Pepsi’s smell, the bright, refreshing taste is strong and unexpectedly accurate. The classic cola taste follows, and while the mango overpowers it by a mere hint, the flavors play together well. I had expected the juice ingredient to give the Pepsi an additional harsh sweetness, but somehow it wasn’t too saccharine. The tropical flavor is a natural pair to Pepsi’s citrus notes, and this combination seems to cut through the syrupy quality that dark colas can have.

Pepsi Mango also has a smoothness and overall drinkability that I would not expect from a cola. Its end result is a delicate aftertaste that almost reminds me of drinking flavored iced tea — without sacrificing the carbonated crispness. This quality, combined with its spot-on fruity flavor, elevates this soda to next-level good.

Mango fans will be pleased with Pepsi’s choice to resurrect this product, which is also available in the Zero Sugar variety. (Look for both kinds in 20-ounce bottles and 12 packs of 12-ounce cans.) Come summer, I will look forward to enjoying this Pepsi again as a refreshing treat on a hot day. The only downside: the three brands of mango-flavored sparkling water stashed in my pantry now seem a lot less enticing by comparison.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 12 pack of 12 oz cans
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 12 oz can) 150 calories, 0 grams of fat, 95 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 41 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Pineapple is considered a summer fruit, but it’s offered all year long here on this rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Well, technically, it’s offered year-round in every state since everyone can buy it canned.

But here I can buy fresh pineapple, cut up or whole, in almost every store I walk into. I can also easily purchase a cocktail served in a hollowed-out pineapple with paper umbrellas and orchids as decorations around its rim.

What I’m trying to say is that they’re plentiful here. I mean, it’s not like I can throw a pineapple in a random direction and there’s a good chance I’ll hit another. Although, now that I think about it, that’s actually true for me since my neighbor has four pineapple plants.

Anyhoo, while the delectable yellow treat is considered a summer fruit, Pepsi Pineapple should be a flavor that’s available year round because it’s now my favorite fruit-flavored Pepsi. It edges Pepsi Wild Cherry. Heretic, I know. But the fruit flavor is more natural tasting, while the cherry is more artificial.

Pepsi Pineapple was available in Japan last summer, which I reviewed. In that review, I wrote that Pepsi in the U.S. should offer the flavored cola here in the States for Summer 2020. So here it is, maybe or maybe not, thanks to yours truly.

You might think that the two beverages taste the same, but they aren’t. If they were, I would’ve copy and pasted my other review here, dusted off my hands, and sat on a beach with a cocktail that’s served in a hollowed-out pineapple with paper umbrellas and orchids as decorations.

I also wrote in my review of the Japanese version that the fruity flavor was a bit too faint for my liking. This one doesn’t have that problem. Sweet pineapple flavor hits hard from beginning to end (oddly, its aroma is not as fruity). I imagine if I were offered a Pepsi served in a hollowed-out pineapple (paper umbrellas and orchids optional), it would taste similar.

The beverage is described as a Pepsi with a splash of pineapple juice. The can also says it contains 1% juice, but it sure tastes like it has a lot more than that. Maybe that’s where the “other natural flavors” kick in.

While the Japanese version came in 490 ml bottles (around 16.5 ounces), the American version is not available in bottles. Instead, they come in 8-packs of 12-ounce skinny cans. Oh, speaking of skinny, there isn’t a diet version.

Pepsi Pineapple is a simple soda. It’s pretty much a combination of Pepsi and juice from the golden fruit. But it’s also simply delicious.

Purchased Price: Way too much of eBay
Size: 8-pack of 12-ounce cans
Purchased at: eBay (available at Walmart)
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (12 fl oz) 150 calories, 0 grams of fat, 95 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 41 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.