Is there really that much difference in taste between cokes, as is often claimed by Coca Cola lovers? WIN tested – blindfolded – four private labels and the ‘real’ cola.
Albert Heijn regular coke
The house brands are about the same price: around €1.20 for 1.5 litres. They usually contain less added sugar than Coca-Cola, such as Albert Heijn’s. But the coke from the country’s largest grocer does not please the jury: ‘What a weak taste’, they shout, ‘much too bland’ and ’this is definitely not the real thing!’..
Grade: 5,5
Lidl Freeway coke
This 2-liter bottle from Lidl is colossal, not suitable for a small shopping bag and difficult to pour. But the cheerful hissing sound when the bottle opens pleases the jury: there is a lot of carbon dioxide in this! This coke has a lot of flavor, but the jury cannot quite place it. Is it spicy, sour or sweet? The aftertaste is found to be somewhat weak and watery.
Grade: 6,5
Plus coke
Coke is known for its refined mixture of sugars and food acids that partly cancel each other out and at the same time give the full taste sensation. But at Plus, that mixture has not gone completely right. Because despite the fact that this coke only contains 6.5 grams of sugar per 100 ml (Coca-Cola contains 10.6 grams), it is considered too sweet and not tasty. ‘Seems like it has passed its sell-by date’, ‘Clearly a fake!’
Grade: 4,5
Jumbo regular cola
‘Authentic taste’ is what it says on the bottle and that seems to be completely correct. Because when we ask the jury to blindly indicate which one of the different cokes is Coca-Cola, they choose Jumbo coke! The taste also scores the highest final score: ‘Fresh and tasty’, ‘Well balanced’ and ‘I will drink this glass completely empty!’. The winner even turns out to be the cheapest in the test: € 1.15 for 1.5 liters.
Grade: 7,5
Coca-Cola original taste
This cola is very different from the rest, the blindfolded jury tastes. Is it cinnamon or other spices? It is certainly tasty with a good aftertaste. And the bubbles pleasantly tickle in the mouth. When the blindfolds come off, a surprise: most of the jury members did not recognize this drink as Coca-Cola. Is then not the price of €2.69 for 1.5 liters far too expensive?
Grade: 7,0
