We Tried Coca-Cola Ultimate and Here’s What You Need to Know
Updated: Jun. 12, 2023
Coca-Cola Ultimate is supposed to taste like experience points. We test it out.
What do video games taste like? Sweat and energy drinks? Salt? Gloating? Rage quitting? Angry tears? Coca-Cola Ultimate is the latest limited-edition drink from the beverage behemoth. It’s aimed at gamers and is supposed to taste like… experience points? Coca-Cola Ultimate was created in collaboration with Riot Games, the publisher and developer of the well-known “League of Legends” video game.
Think that sounds a bit bizarre? Coca-Cola Dreamworld was supposed to taste like dreams—it really tasted like all the fruit in the world got into a fight. Coca-Cola Move, a collaboration with the Grammy Award-winning singer RosalÃa, tasted like bubblegum. Coca-Cola Starlight was supposed to taste like outer space, which I guess it does if outer space tastes sweeter than a Pixy Stix milkshake. So Coca-Cola Ultimate isn’t any wilder than those.
What Is Coca-Cola Ultimate Supposed to Taste Like?
Real talk: All these Coca-Cola Creations drinks mostly taste like Coke, or Coke Zero Sugar if you get that variety. But then you can taste an added punch of something, like when you serve up your own fountain drink and shoot in an extra blast of cherry, root beer, orange soda or whatever else is there in the lineup of drinks.
Coke isn’t ever going to tell us what flavor it’s aiming for with its latest Creations bevvie, and that’s fine. Early tasters online were naming everything from coffee and mango, to pineapple, to peach, to banana cream.
Here’s What I Thought
Coca-Cola Ultimate has a lightly tropical, almost floral scent, and its taste isn’t as chemical as some of the earlier flavor combos. In fact, it might be my favorite of them all so far. Sometimes, when trying a new Coca-Cola Creations drink, I’ve taken just a few sips and dumped the rest out, but Coca-Cola Ultimate is a flavor I might actually buy. I didn’t magically acquire any experience points from drinking it, but I didn’t lose a life, either.
On the first sip, I sensed an almost cherry-cinnamon vibe. You know that spicy, unnameable flavor of Dr Pepper? Kinda like that. It still mostly reminds me of a fountain Coke with a random splash of any or all neighboring sodas.
Where Can I Get It?
Coca Cola Ultimate comes in both zero-sugar and full-sugar versions in the U.S. and Canada, while only the zero-sugar version is available in markets across the world, including China, South Korea, Africa, Latin America and more. It’s sold in 20-ounce individual bottles as well as in a 10-pack of 7.5-ounce mini cans, and will start showing up in stores in the U.S. and Canada as of June 12.
League of Legends players will spot tie-ins to Coca Cola Ultimate in the game, where they can unlock related emotes through a series of missions. Of course, Coke would like you to keep a bottle of the beverage handy for guzzling while you’re playing. It’s not likely to help you level up, but it might provide a little refreshment for your next gaming session.
Originally Published: June 12, 2023
