Review: Coca-Cola Zero

Coca-Cola Zero presents a stunningly accurate diet analog to its mother company’s core Coca-Cola Classic brand. There’s still a giveaway undertone of artificiality in its aftertaste, but the flavor wizards at Coke have definitely found a way to replicate most of Coke Classic’s trademark spice notes. The artificiality presents itself in the same way as it does in Diet Coke – as a watery, overly sweet, chemical finish – but it’s not as strong in Coca-Cola Zero, because the spice notes drown out and nullify much of the Aspartame/Ace-K blend’s negative qualities. Like Coke Classic, Coca-Cola Zero suffers in comparison to the taste of some of the premier sodas reviewed by BevNET, and we don’t like its mostly white and black labeling, which, although supposedly meant to appeal to young men, simply looks like the printers at the factory ran low on red ink. But it’s definitely worth a try. “Coke Heads” will likely love it; those who don’t care for the original stuff will have no reason to flock to it. Nevertheless, there’s a good chance it will help Coke shore up the market share its core brand is losing to diet consciousness.