Not a Cake in a Can

Bar-ish Anniversaries

Brand: TopValu

Price: 213 yen

Place of purchase: MaxValu

Rating:

My main positives of this drink are the amount of fruit juice and the real ingredients used in making it. It’s a good feeling to know that you aren’t consuming something that isn’t entirely made in a vat of chemicals. It also comes in a screw-top can, making it easy to drink and store at any time or on the go. The drink itself has a nice floral scent and a strong vanilla presence. It is carbonated, but not overwhelmingly so, like the Strong sparkling water found everywhere. The texture is a simple tickle on the sides of the tongue and does not cause so much discomfort.

The flavour of the drink is not that great, however. I wonder if it’s the mix of vanilla and sage, or perhaps even the natural aftertaste of mandarin oranges not playing well with the herbal flavours, but there is something very off about the combination of tastes here. I struggled to finish the whole drink. Maybe the product graphic on the front needs to be changed, as I think it made me expect something sweet and mellow, but instead, I was bombarded by vanilla and something tart in the back of my palate.