Bai Sumatra Dragonfruit

Dragonfruit. Yes, dragonfruit. Odds are, if VitaminWater Power-C (That flavor? The one we all like? Dragonfruit.) didn't exist, you would have no idea that this exotic fruit even existed. And if you've ever had the chance to eat it fresh, it is definitely a treat. And Sumatra? No freaking idea. Don't ask. Anyway, this drink is from a relatively new, unknown company called Bai. (This is what happens when your town gets a Whole Foods.)  I've never seen it before, but it really doesn't look bad at all. The only concern I have is whether it will really taste like dragonfruit or just that tropical flavor we all know and hate. Leggo.

Color: A pretty standard translucent red. It is the color of every other juice drink on Earth, really. For all the exotic stuff on the label, I'm underwhelmed that it looks like Snapple Apple.

Smell: It does smell like dragonfruit. It's likely that you wouldn't know what they smell like, but since I've hunted one down before, I can say it is authentic. 

Taste: Awesome. Just really freaking awesome. (Pours second cup) It does taste like real dragonfruit, almost with passionfruit too. If you don't know what either of those taste like, it is like a really good tropical gum. (Pours third cup) And apparently, it has coffeeberry in it too. Again, don't ask. It does not taste artificial at all, and not too heavy on the flavor either. The fact that this is marketed as low-calorie also keeps it from being too sugary. People, it has 10 calories a bottle! Drink it!

Rating: *****

Folks, we have a winner! This is the first drink to receive all five stars. Overall, this stuff is a really great blend of tropical fruits that is not overpowering or caloric, making it just really awesome overall. You may not find it at every grocery, but keep hunting, 'cause its worth it. And by the way, the whole bottle is empty now. I'm done here.

Zico Chocolate Coconut Water

Okay, so by now you've probably had coconut water. Even if you live in Canada, far from the tropics, companies like Zico and VitaCoco have made this exotic juice common. And normally, it comes mixed with something. If you've had it straight, you are a trooper. But that's besides the point. What I'm saying is that when it comes mixed, it is usually with something also tropical, like mango, or pineapple. But no. This is chocolate. And, yes, it has cream in it. Scared? Yeah. Time to pour!

Color: It is really just opaque brown. Like pudding brown. Not what I'd expect from something that is, in fact, coconut water. This has me concerned already.

Smell: Chocolate. Not coconut, but just chocolate. It is somewhere between hot chocolate mix and chocolate pudding jellybeans. But it smells like good chocolate, not artificial, so this is somewhat comforting.

Taste: It starts out really good. Like, a perfect chocolate jellybean in liquid form. That was awesome. But that only lasted a fraction of a second. You then are bombarded with the bitter taste of straight coconut water, a tough flavor to really verbalize, so I won;t try. And, unfortunately, that is the flavor that lasts after you drink it, not the good chocolate part. It isn't bad, it is just a really odd combination of flavors, and it isn't my favorite. That isn't saying you shouldn't try it; it was legitimately better than I expected it to be. The more I think about it, the more I like it, actually. And hey, it has more potassium than a banana. 

Rating: ***

It wasn't vile like I expected it to be, but it wasn't spectacular either. I won't reach for it over another flavor (except plain) any time soon, but I think this could be a good way to get people to try an otherwise strange type of juice. Worth a shot? Yes. Worth a second shot? Not for me. But you decide.

AriZona Chinese Apple Pomegranate Green Tea

And we're back! Back to reviewing, at least. We got some new beverages and we're ready to go!
So, this is AriZona tea. Yes, its usually good. But how good? Anyway, it has natural flavors and colors, (tree-huggers and hippies rejoice), which is always a plus. However, I think the question here will be whether or not there are too many flavors in the mix. I mean, chinese apples, pomegranates, and tea? Someone drank too much Monster. (Wait, I've just been informed that chinese apples and pomegranates are the same thing.) Never mind. To the beverage!

Color:    Red. Like, really electric, translucent red. How is this natural? I'm concerned because I expected it to be like reddish tea, but no, red.

Smell:    Sugar. Cold, straight sugar. And maybe some pomegranate. Maybe.


Taste:    It's actually pretty good. The tea is definitely more prevalent than the pomegranate here, but you can still taste the fruit. In fact, there is probably a little cranberry in here too. Like all teas, it packs a good antioxidant punch, with 100 percent of your daily Vitamin C in each bottle (if you care). It goes from a tart tea to a sweet pomegranate as you drink it, which is nice. And, as the label states, it ain't artificial and you can tell. It is really refreshing, which is pretty surprising for a tea. Generally, mixed tea drinks are either really bitter or really sweet, but this is a perfect balance. Katy finished hers already. Case closed.

Rating: ****

AriZona came up big here. I will not be spilling this one, folks. At the end of the day, it is just really good tea. This will certainly now be in my rotation. (It was already in Katy's anyway.) Well played, AriZona. Well played.