Review: Cucumber

TreTap’s sparkling line -- and in particular this flavor -- is one of the more interesting uses of maple water that we’ve seen to date. The base of this product is maple water that has been carbonated, and the resulting liquid enhanced with sugar, maple syrup, cucumber flavor, citric acid, and monk fruit (a zero-calorie sweetener). The flavor is a very subtle riff on a flavored seltzer, with the key difference being the hint of sweetness and a light maple note to the finish. At only 5 calories and 2g of sugar per can, it’s pretty much a zero-calorie beverage. Cucumber, which is something that is naturally unsweet, works very well with the low level of sweetness in the drink. This is definitely our favorite flavor of the lineup. All in all, we really like what the company has created, both in terms of the actual taste and the innovative nature of the formulation. Packaging, on the other hand, we have mixed feelings about. Being in a can rather than plastic feels as though it ties it more closely to soda than sparkling water. Plus, it’s not overly obvious what this stuff is. You certainly have to pick it up and look at it and, even if you do, the emphasis is much more on the cucumber than the maple aspect. While we understand not wanting to put a maple leaf on the front of the can, we do feel as though it could be made to look a bit more like a sparkling water. Overall, we like the unique approach to this product and TreTap has definitely put forth a great first effort with it.

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