Dump post: Oreos, Pop-Tarts, Lays, and Mountain Dew Baja Gold

 Just a post dumping old pics that I never posted.  I don't have individualized reviews of these, but I remember especially that the Oreos below were very good overall.

Sprite Tropical Mix

Product circa: Intermittent

Some folks may not realize this, but this is basically a reincarnation of Sprite’s Tropical Remix from the early 2000s.  There were 2 Tropical Remixes and, frankly, this Tropical Mix might be a mixture of the 2.

The copy says pineapple and strawberry are the main flavors, here.  I would say... pineapple, definitely; mango, probably; orange, probably.  The strawberry brings up the rear and is subtle.

This stuff is great.  It's a satisfying spiritual successor to the Tropical Remixes.  It's fantastic that Coke has made this available, and seemingly it is now a semi-permanent product.  Color this reviewer happy.

Pringles Wavy Pineapple Habanero

Product circa: 2021

This was a Walgreens exclusive.

Quite disappointing and lazy.  How I would describe these are having a mild barbecue seasoning with a bit of added citric acid and spiciness.  The latter two are probably meant to simulate pineapple and habanero chiles, but otherwise they are not there, in terms of flavor.

Doritos Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno

Product circa: 2023

What a wild ride these are.

It starts with the aroma, which is a familiar green vegetal jalapeno, the likes of which I’ve encountered on other snacks.  The immediate taste is an off-putting artificial fruitiness that I can’t help but compare to a fresh-scented surface cleaning spray.  After a few chomps, once you get past the typical onion and garlic, you’ll notice a familiar pineapple flavoring, tasting identical to that which is put into the pale yellow Life Savers in a typical variety pack.

Not an ultimately pleasing combination, but I can’t deny that they took a huge swing here.

Mountain Dew Baja Punch & Baja Flash

 

Product circa: summer 2021

As part of the 100 Days of Baja promotion, these 2 products were released alongside Baja Blast's 2021 summer release.

Baja Punch: Very light, and not syrupy.  Interestingly, I don't get the Dew base at all.  There's a tropical melon here, almost like a watermelon agua fresca.  A bit of Sweetart to prevent it from tasting too natural.  There's cherries on the label, but I don't get that at all.

Baja Flash: One of the greatest Dews I've ever tasted - in the Top 3.  A perfect pineapple coconut flavor that I'm not sure I could clock as a Dew.  As of this 2025 writing, I still have a few cans left, which I will cherish.

Mountain Dew Infinite Swirl

 

Product circa: Summer 2024

Supposedly a berry pineapple Dew, I would say that the berry here manages to support the pineapple, such that, to me, this is ultimately a pineapple Dew.  And that's good, because it's probably the best pineapple Dew I have tasted so far.

Pepsi Pineapple

 

Product circa: summer 2024

In a rare move, the pizza delivery company Little Caesar's has an exclusive soft drink variety (sold right in the cooler in their locations).

While this product does actually contain pineapple juice (which is commendable), it doesn't taste like it.  It tastes like Pepsi with the same artificial pineapple flavoring like something like a Life Saver candy might have.  In the end, the two don't pair very well.