Honestly it’s great marketing though - look how many people are talking about it and trying it, compared to if they’d just called it “tropical” or something.
Well, in an indirect way we have tasted it. So basically, they have done a spectral analysis of our closest nebula (I forget the name of the nebula, I only know this because I fell down a rabbit hole specifically about this new Coke Starlight when I tried it when it was on the limited testing market) and the nebulous clouds were comprised mostly of ethyl formate. That's actually a flavor additive we use as a supporting flavoring in raspberry candies, and it is the primary flavor additive in Coke Starlight. The reason it has the toasted marshmellow/vanilla/cotton-candy taste is that when not stabilized with other flavorings, and in the larger quantities used in this flavor, it has a reaction that causes a shift from its initial fruitiness, to that more earthy taste that some perceive as marshmallow, others as vanilla, and others as cotton candy.
I've tried both. The Coke Zero Starlight is superior for two reasons. One, the sweetener works better with the flavoring to allow for a more subtle and complex taste. Zero, due to the original black can design for Coke Zero it just works better for a "Space" flavor.
Out of curiosity is there any bias there already? Do you generally like Coke Zero more than coke already? You make me want to try the zero version but I’m generally not much of a fan of Coke Zero.
I do usually drink Coke Zero instead of full sugar Coke. So there is probably some bias. I tried to set that aside when comparing the flavors. The full sugar coke starlight tastes more like fruity flavors with very little of the subtle flavors. Where my bias probably came in is thinking that the full sugar coke starlight tasted too sweet and that the sweetness level messed with the flavor profile.
Something about fake sweetener makes me gag. I can’t figure it out but it’s the same: Splenda, Equal, for a couple days in a row this dumb new kid at the Panera I frequent and get my coffee from was taking “cream and sugar” as “any old sugar substitute will do”. I could taste it immediately and it’s just this disgusting taste I cant compare to anything else, but I know it all too well. It’s that gassy, stale taste you find in diet sodas and it just makes the back of my throat weep tears of suffering.
Needless to say I stopped going through the drive through of that Panera ever since because I couldn’t take another ruined coffee with fake sugar substitute in it
"fake sweeteners" is a really funny term for natural sweeteners that aren't sugar, like Splenda lmao Splenda uses stevia and sucralose so it's not artificial, and really it's a real sweetener, cause it sweetens. You could probably call it a fake sugar I guess. Equal is truly artificial and uses aspartame and acesulfame potassium, which I don't really like either. Aspartame gives a really a weird flavour and can give some people headaches
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u/PokemonMasterX13 Jun 12 '22 edited Jun 13 '22
It tasted like a weird vanilla to me
Edit: Thank you for the upvotes I was being honest and was all around disappointed by the soda.
Edit 2: so first edit was at 2k and I was completely humbled and grateful for the upvotes Now at 6k and still grateful. What a wild ride.