Like a Virgin Cola? (Virgin Cola)

Member Name: noodlesandwich

Product:	Virgin Cola
Date:	07/02/06 (394 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Taste and price

Disadvantages: No nutritional value

Richard Bransons company originally launched Virgin Cola in 1994 with the intention of rivalling the American giants, even going so far as to drive a tank through New Yorks Time Square in a marketing campaign and launching 'The Pammy', a bottle shape modelled on the body of Pamela Anderson. Although the Virgin brand is well established around the world, Branson admits that cola is one of the less succesful Virgin ventures. Princes have produced, marketed and distributed Virgin Cola under franchise since 2002 in the UK, and relaunched the product in 2004 with the 'great new taste' campaign, in which taste tests were undertaken that showed people preferred Virgin to other leading cola brands. It was admirable of Branson, although probably foolish, to take on Pepsi and Coke, but in comparison to them I prefer Virgin - it's better both in terms of value for money and, more importantly, taste.

It's a sweet tasting cola that lacks the gassiness of the Yankee brands. It is fizzy, but not too much so, which makes it especially good as a mixer, (I'll have a whisky in mine thanks!). For the same reason it's more refreshing to drink if you're thirsty. It does the job of quenching thirst which doesn't happen with drinks that are too sharp and just make you burp if you glug them down too quickly. More differences from other colas are; the lack of aftertaste and lack of icky feeling on your teeth after drinking. That's not to say it isn't full of sugars and other additives, so you shouldn't drink a lot of it, but if you do, be sure to brush your teeth regularly. Like most soft drinks it tastes best chilled and it does have a tendency to go flat if left in the bottle for too long.

On average Virgin is cheaper than Coca Cola and Pepsi, (you shouldn't pay more than about £1.35 for a two litre bottle oop north), and it's often on special offer. It's available in regular, diet, vanilla and caffeine free varieties and in the usual varied sizes of cans and bottles in most supermarkets and various independent retailers.

Summary: Reasonably priced and good as a mixer or on its own.