Jones Holiday Sodas

Product Type:Carbonated Soft Drink: Regular; Container: 12 oz Glass
BevNET Review: Of Jones’ 2011 Holiday lineup, Sugar Plum tastes the most like a standard soda flavor. The purple flavor is a good indication of what this product tastes like: a mixture of grape and plum flavors. And they weren’t joking when they said “Sugar Plum” -- this stuff is quite sweet. As far as Jones Soda’s regular flavors go, this product could definitely hold up as a regular variety (with a different name, of course). That said, this product has less novelty value than some of the other Holiday flavors that they’ve created (we’d guess that most consumers don’t even know what a sugar plum tastes like anyway). Packaging utilizes a rather unassuming design, with the same black and white label and a photo that could easily blend in with the photos that are always on their labels. Giving it a more radical looking design might help it stand out more. Overall, it’s enjoyable, but we’d probably grab one of the other Holiday flavors if we’re really in a holiday mood.

Product Type:Carbonated Soft Drink: Regular; Container: 12 oz Glass
BevNET Review: If there has ever been truth in advertising, then here it is -- this product tastes like a liquified candy cane, including peppermint flavor and a ton of sweetness. For a holiday one-off, this hits the nail on the head, delivering a classic holiday flavor that is instantly recognizable and also very drinkable (much more than we can say about Jones' previous holiday efforts). Visually, the red colored liquid and red and white heavy front panel work well together, creating something that definitely feels like a holiday beverage. Overall, this product does a great job of blending novelty and drinkability into a product that’s enjoyable and memorable.

Product Type:Carbonated Soft Drink: Regular; Container: 12 oz Glass
BevNET Review: The Ginger Bread variety of the Jones Soda Holiday lineup is one of the most complex flavors that they’ve created this year. From a flavor perspective, the product has the same flavor that you’d find in ginger bread, plus a lot of sweetness and a finish that seems to have a note of wintergreen to it. The finish helps the flavor feel like a cousin to a root beer, as does the creamy body of the drink. All in all, it’s very enjoyable product to drink and it’s definitely a flavor that could be an everyday product. Visually, the product looks and feels just like a typical Jones Soda, which means that it has a random photo (although it’s winter themed) on the label. We’d probably like it more if it had a photo of ginger bread on the label or at least something that made this product easily identifiable as one of their holiday flavors. Overall, this product’s flavor is well executed, but we wish it had a little more visual flair.