A documentation and review of limited time, special edition, or otherwise hard-to-find noms.
It turns out that I tried these back in 2012, but I don't think I recall seeing these on store shelves since.
What's funny is that I just re-read my old post about these, and my description of them from 2012 is still accurate to how they taste now... but I like them now, and I didn't then. I guess my tastes have changed?
Product circa: Spring 2024
This is part of the 20th Bajaversary, which is a joint celebration between Taco Bell and Mountain Dew. I'm having trouble finding the significance of the year 2004 in this "anniversary". Said to be part of this celebration is the permanent release of Mountain Dew Baja Blast products in stores, as well as Baja Laguna Lemonade & Baja Point Break Punch.
Anyway, these things are fascinating. They start with a bright and tangy mango flavor that can't help me think of sugary breakfast cereal... maybe it's the sugar and corn crunch together that's giving that aura. The heat then slowly shows itself, and this is some of the most impressive heat I've experienced on a Doritos product. There's probably some savory elements in this snack as well, such as onion and garlic, but if so, they are very subdued. Honestly, this tastes like spicy Doritos that have Kool-Aid Tropical Punch powder sprinkled over them. Overall, a fun experiment, but not a snack that I would reach for unironically.
Product circa: 2024
This is a Presumptive Ephemeral Nom.
Overall, pretty disappointing. There is the flavor of the mustard, there is a sweetness, and there is a slight vinegar taste. But it's all too muted; they need to dial the flavor up by 3 times here.
Product circa: Independence Day 2024
Should they really keep doing this for the US Independence Day? They will run out of vocabulary words eventually.
Star Spangled Splash: Dew with generic red fruit. It's not bad, but I've tasted this kind of Dew at least a dozen times.
Freedom Fusion: A peach lemonade Dew which will naturally be compared to the KFC exclusive Sweet Lightning. I've only had the latter once or twice, and it wasn't memorable enough to recall. This stuff is very tasty, with a little tartness that goes a long way. I would say that they should have upped the peach flavoring, but if they had, I probably would be saying I had wished they dialed it back. They deserve a lot of credit for this one.
Liberty Chill: Another one of the occasional "omnibus" varieties that combines an absurd amount of flavors into one beverage (in this case, 50). This is a mess... it's overly sweet, and if I try, I can pick out "blue", and "cherry", and that's about it.
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.
Product circa: 2024
With mystery flavors like these, I usually give it an honest effort to discern the flavor before looking up internet opinions. In this case, my guess seems to be correct. These are flavored like a thai coconut curry or tom kha soup. Hot chile leads the flavors, with creamy coconut milk specifically (not coconut), and even lemongrass in the mix. After some internet searches, it seems others have come to the same conclusion. I don't love these, but this is a very impressive execution. Bravo, Doritos!
Product circa: 2024
The taste of strawberry candy first, and it's a little tangy. Remarkably close to something like a pie filling. Buttery maple comes in next, like a cheap pancake syrup. Bacon fat is an ingredient here, which is commendable, but it's hard to detect; it takes a few bites before your tongue gets used to the buttery fruit in order to notice a light smokiness.
The first few chips are very off-putting, but I'm embarrassed to say that after you eat a few, these become pretty tolerable. Definitely up there as one of the most bizarre chips I've ever eaten, up there with Lay's Cappuccino and Lay's Chicken and Waffle.
