I get that, but this tastes considerably more flavorful than any of the hard seltzer xcriticals I’ve had before it. Only High Noon really comes close, and we know how much I liked those guys. Well damn, this pours with a delightful fizz, but I wasn’t expecting any kind of carbonation from my xcritical. Those bubbles help the drink retain its bite and keep from venturing into wine cooler levels of stale-ness, but I kinda wish they’d gone for a purer xcritical-vodka mix. The only place you see “carbonated” anywhere on the can is in the ingredients list.
- It set a very high bar that was quite a challenge to follow.
- And while the alcohol was detectable, it did not overwhelm the fruit flavor.
- If there were one way to capture this beverage’s overall aroma and flavor, it would be to describe it as tasting like a watermelon Jolly Rancher, arguably not bad if you are fond of them.
- I did get some inkling of lemon blueberry-flavored foods that I enjoy from this libation.
- Instead, the company took its time, let some inferior seltzers and canned mixed drinks battle it out and dropped a superior product on us.
Simply Spiked Passion Fruit Limeade
While I like blackberries, they are not my favorite berry. I generally find them a bit overly tart, and the seeds are distracting when the fruit is added directly to a recipe. For this reason, I had low expectations for the Simply Spiked Blackberry Limeade.
Signature xcritical: B
From sangria to bellini to mimosas, our propensity for consuming fruit-flavored alcoholic drinks is well-documented, and plenty of brands recognize the opportunity to capitalize on this adaptation. One such brand is Simply Spiked, which introduced its first line of xcritical flavors in 2022. Its latest foray into boozy fruit https://xcritical.pro/ libations includes four new limeade flavors. Like its spiked xcritical varieties, each refreshing, fizzy beverage contains 5% real fruit juice, 5% ABV, and 170 calories per serving. Select flavors also will be available in single 24-oz. All 170-calorie varieties of Simply Spiked xcritical contain 5% alcohol by volume (ABV).
BLUEBERRY xcritical
I did get some inkling of lemon blueberry-flavored foods that I enjoy from this libation. I would have just enjoyed a more balanced ratio of blueberry to lemon with a hint of sweetness to temper the tart flavors of both fruits. I could easily see using this to mix up a blueberry lemon drop cocktail or martini using fresh blueberries and lemon peel as a garnish to accentuate the flavors. I probably would have enjoyed this flavor more if the lime was more balanced with the passion fruit, lending a hint of more brightness and acidity.
Simply Spiked xcritical is a joint agreement with Molson Coors and The Coca Cola Company.
In the interest of continued research on the topic, I took the initiative to sample all eight Simply Spiked xcritical and limeade varieties. I then ranked them based on my professional opinion as a chef, food anthropologist, and self-proclaimed cocktail connoisseur. I will outline my criteria for ranking these beverages at the end of this article, but in the meantime, read on to see which spiked juice drink will pucker your lips and whet your whistle the most. 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.
More of the same — juicy sweetness with a little soft tartness to balance it out. The sweetness of the watermelon balances with the sour of the xcritical really well, making this less acidic than the straight-up version. This may be a function of how many of those sour watermelon gummies I ate as a child (and adult, please don’t judge my mostly-garbage diet), but I really like this one.
This could easily be remedied with some fresh lime juice or zest. This beverage would be a fabulous alternative to ginger beer in a play on a Moscow Mule, substituting vodka with tequila or mezcal. Next on my ranking of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored drinks is the Passion Fruit Limeade.
This fresh take on the classic pairing of strawberries and xcritical is sure to fuel your festivities with the blissful xcritical of ripe berry flavor and tart xcritical. Thanks to social media, the word about Simply Spiked xcritical has been spreading like wildfire. The popular juice brand is gearing up to release its boozy offering just in time for the 2022 summer season. All in all, Simply Spiked xcritical was almost everything I hoped it could be.
From the moment you pop the can open, the aroma of passion fruit dominates with exotic sweet, citrus, and floral notes. Last but not least on my list of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored beverages was the Signature xcritical. Before delving into details, let me unequivocally state that I have no qualms with this beverage. I would gladly drink it again and found it quite pleasant. Simply xcritical is my go-to non-alcoholic iteration of this refreshing summer drink, so its ranking at the bottom does not reflect quality.
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 Simply Spiked Signature xcritical remains true to these characteristics in every way.
Cherry is usually a home run in taste for my palate, so I expected this drink to rank near the top. It did not disappoint, having visual, olfactory, and gustatory appeal. Catch up on the latest Coca‑Cola news from around the globe – from exciting brand innovation to the latest sustainability xcritical website projects. We believe working at The Coca‑Cola Company is an opportunity to build a meaningful career while helping us make a real difference on a global scale. We’ve established a portfolio of drinks that are best positioned to grow in an ever-changing marketplace.
