World of Coca-Cola has always been one of Georgia’s greatest tourist attractions, bringing in visitors from all over the world. During the holiday season, the museum likes to offer mixes of some their current sodas and give them fun holiday names like “Secret Santa” or “Mistletoe Flow” in the Taste It! Beverage lounge. But the most interesting holiday drink at the World of Coke is a completely new flavor only offered during the holidays: Gingerbread Coca-Cola. The recipe for this crazy concoction calls for the original Coke recipe and Monin Gingerbread Syrup.

On December 23, I visited the World of Coke after many years; it was also my first time coming during the holiday season. Upon entering the museum, our guide told us that we would have the opportunity to try Gingerbread Coke. She said that our feedback on the product would sway the decision to put the new soda on the market for December 2016. I was intrigued at the thought of my opinion being a deciding factor of a major decision, so my mission for that day was to make sure I had at least one sip of the Gingerbread Coca-Cola.

I, personally, am not always a fan of carbonated drinks, so I had already anticipated being dissatisfied. Nevertheless, I still went out my way to push through the crowd in the tasting lounge to get a sample. Finally, in my hands I held the exclusive Gingerbread Coke; I would be one of the only people in the world to say that I’ve had Gingerbread Coke. At first glance, it looked like a regular coke—it even had the same indescribable smell. But once I had my first sip, all my notions disappeared. I could taste the sweetness of the molasses in the syrup, and the flavor was strong enough that the carbonation didn’t bother me. It was the same Coca-Cola taste, but with the flavors amped up. I thought it was amazing; I would drink it year-round the same way one would drink a regular Coke.

Another Peddie student was also at the World of Coke in December, and also tried the Gingerbread Coke: Neil Dange’19. Dange is a fan of most Coca-Cola products and had no expectations when trying the new flavor. Like me, Dange thought the soda looked and smelled like a regular Coke, but our opinions differed once he tried it. “The flavor was all over the place. It tasted like a mix of regular Coke and [straight-up] ginger, and it was overall bitter.”

It seemed like most reactions to Gingerbread Coca-Cola were extreme. People either loved it or they absolutely loathed it. I believe it’s the mix of these two reactions is what is keeping Cola-Cola from putting Gingerbread Coke on the market. Again, I thought it was the great, but the only way one will know how they feel about it is to actually visit the World of Coke and try it for oneself. I think the experience of trying a flavor before it comes on the market is pretty cool on its own, and no matter how someone feels about the flavor, whatever opinion one has could influence the decision of Cola-Cola.