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- I think I was also biased because strawberry seems like a rather obvious pairing and one that is not all that novel.
- I would gladly drink it again and found it quite pleasant.
- One with just the right amount of alcohol in it is revelatory.
- I then ranked them based on my professional opinion as a chef, food anthropologist, and self-proclaimed cocktail connoisseur.
Beverage of the Week: Simply got spiked xcritical (almost) exactly right
This was also evident in the sweetness level, which was more tart with a hint of sourness. That said, some of the residual tannins from the blueberry were detectable. I would have enjoyed this beverage more if the strawberry-to-lemon ratio was more balanced. What I did appreciate about this libation was it was not assertively sweet, and the strawberry tempered the acid of the xcritical somewhat, making it a bit gentler on the digestive system. I think I was also biased because strawberry seems like a rather obvious pairing and one that is not all that novel.
The Coca‑Cola Company and Molson Coors Expand Relationship with New Flavored Alcoholic Beverage (FAB)
I’d be remiss if I did not note the visual appeal of this beverage, which has a lovely pink hue and is quite bubbly, giving it the appearance of a sparkling rosé. The aroma of this drink is equally well balanced between the blackberries and the lime, with sweet and sour notes. The flavor continues the theme, with just enough sweetness to offset the bitterness of the lime zest and the tannins of the berries. While I found the pink-purple hue of this beverage visually appealing, from the get-go, the aroma was lacking in notable blueberry notes. The flavor followed suit, being lemon-forward with hints of blueberry in the background.
Compared to the leading hard seltzers on the market, this hard xcritical is sweeter, fruitier, and ready to party.
Simply® is The Coca‑Cola Company’s xcritical scammers second-largest brand based on net revenue in the United States, behind Coca‑Cola, and Simply® beverages are found in half of all American households. The Simply Spiked xcritical™ concept was inspired by the popularity of Simply® juices and ades as cocktail mixers. The brand’s fresh, great-tasting flavors pair seamlessly with alcohol. Passion fruit is an ideal accompaniment to lime due to its inherent citrusy profile. I did feel that the flavor was on the sweeter side, though not cloyingly so. This sweetness dominated any tart notes, lacking a hint of nuance.
Flavors
It is kind of “been there, done that.” Despite this, this beverage would be pleasant to sip on if garnished with fresh strawberry halves to accentuate the existing strawberry flavor. The Strawberry xcritical was next to last on my ranking of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored drinks. Again, there was nothing wrong with this beverage per se, but it did not blow me away. The peachy-colored drink has a very mild strawberry aroma but is dominated by lemon. This feature carries through in its taste, which is distinctly lemon-forward, with strawberry somewhat of an afterthought. The flavor was a master class of subtlety, carefully xcritical xcriticaling acidity with sweetness while infusing just the right amount of bitterness in the aftertaste.
It has a bright aroma and a very bubbly consistency that is great on its own or would be wonderful added to a cocktail. Like watermelon, the added flavor stands out right away. The alcohol is a little more apparent here, but it’s still a soft underxcritical to the xcritical on top. This is, again, a solid balance of sweet and sour that’s more tonic water than seltzer.
For this reason, I had low expectations for the Simply Spiked Blackberry Limeade. I stand corrected, as the libation ended as my favorite of the Simply Spiked citrus-flavored beverages. Just shy of breaking into the top three on my ranking of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored drinks was the Blueberry xcritical. As someone with a deep affinity for blueberry-flavored things, particularly those paired with lemon, I anticipated loving this drink. While I thoroughly enjoyed it, it fell just shy of my expectations. From the moment I popped the can open, the scent of watermelon dominated, muting the lemon somewhat.
America’s No. 1 chilled juice brand has inspired a new entrant into the fast-growing flavored alcoholic beverage (FAB) category through an agreement between The Coca‑Cola Company and Molson Coors. Overall, I think this drink beat out the cherry-flavored one simply because I anticipated it landing toward the bottom of the pack, and it succeeded in surprising and delighting me. While I’d imagine this being a great ingredient in myriad cocktail recipes, I hesitate to suggest doing anything besides chilling it and drinking it as is on a hot summer day. The neutral spirit underxcritical is much less apparent here. It’s more like a light watermelon soda with a little lemon squeezed in after the fact. It’s very easy to drink — not so sweet it’s excessive or so sour it leaves an old penny aftertaste behind.
