It seems like the typical reaction to Coca-Cola’s initial announcement of their new coke-coffee hybrid beverage was, “ho-hum, this idea has failed several times before.” So, without expecting too much, I decided to give it a try, and…..

I think they succeeded this time! At least in the sense that the taste is good. It’s not bitter or too sweet, and not so creamy that you can’t taste the coffee. I think Coca-Cola Blak is a winner because it is definitely more Coke than coffee. If you were to drink an unmarked, un-branded glass of Blak, you would immediately think Coke, not coffee or even Pepsi. After that you will sense the coffee flavor. Unfortunately, after you swallow you will also detect the stinging artificial-sugar/diet/Splenda-esque aftertaste. However, it’s not so bad that it ruins the taste, since the drink contains an equal amount of both artificial and traditional sweeteners. Overall, the taste is pleasant.

The real question is whether enough people will try Blak to give it even a chance of remaining on the market. It helps that the packaging doesn’t call out the fact that it is a coffee-based beverage, which might have turned away many customers who have disliked previous attempts in this area. I certainly hope Blak is here to stay.