Kotas Reviews Cinnamon Coca-Cola

The soda flavor explosion continues to spread. So many different flavors of soda are coming out that I simply cannot keep up with them anymore. Also, I really shouldn't drink so much soda. Still, some products demand that I review them by their very existence. In fact, I didn't believe this was an actual real thing. Ladies and Gentlemen, let's take a look at Cinnamon Coca-Cola.

I honestly thought this was a joke product.

I first heard about this when a friend gushed enthusiasm about it. I initially dismissed it as mistaken naming, but I was soon corrected. Turns out, Cinnamon Coke is a thing and this person loves it. It was not until I saw it at my local lunch spot in the cooler that I truly acknowledged that it could exist. I mean, Pepsi Fire was a thing for a while. Could this be Coca-Cola's answer to that crappy product? Why would they want to duplicate failure? Still, whatever. Let's rock and or roll. The can is expertly designed. It's a Coke can, with some minor additional graphics and text to inform you what is different from regular Coke on it. Very understated, very cool. Let's crack it open.

Well, it looks like Coke. This will be good for pranking I predict. I mean, "spicy" soda just isn't really my thing, but we strive onward for Science. Oh. Oh no. I was completely wrong about this. This isn't spicy soda. This isn't spicy soda at all! The makers of this soda clearly took inspiration from the sweeter side of cinnamon than the spicy, as instead of being hot, this soda has the cinnamon that you find in a sweet roll rather then that of a Red Hot. Oh man, it compliments the cola flavor perfectly too. I think I love this soda! I need more.

On the FACE Rating System, this gets 3 Smileys. Holy shit this stuff is delicious. Put it in your drink chute immediately, then buy more and use it as a mixer. I have to stop myself from drinking this constantly and I think I like it at least as much as, if not more than, regular Coke. Get it. GET IT NOW!

Kotas Reviews Hot and Spicy Cinnamon Oreos

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! A time when marketing moguls have convinced us all that there is exactly ONE day a year during which we can really show our love for a significant other, and the best way to express that love is with a stuffed bear emblazoned with a heart. Also with candy. Because always candy. So of course Nabisco is gonna try and horn in on that sweet sweet Valentine's money, right? Right! Today we're looking at Hot and Spicy Cinnamon Oreos.

Made with love...and pain.

Well, I'm pretty sure no one ever asked for this and yet, here it is. This Limited Edition wonder sports a jaunty heart theme, made up of Legally Distinct Cinnamon Candy From Red Hots, and a picture of the Oreo itself. Red is nature's warning color folks! Seriously though, it is a remarkably nice piece of packaging for conveying what kind of cookie you are getting yourself into. Let's tear it open and see what's inside.

You know you wanna. Come oooooooon.

Well, they certainly smell like cinnamon Oreos. There is no hint of trickery or tomfoolery with these. It just lays it out there, and you can take it or leave it as you wish. Would that all businesses were as upfront with their wares as Nabisco has been lately. But, ultimately, the truth is in the tasting. Let's eat!

Yup, this is exactly what I would expect if you took Red Hots, ground them into paste, mixed them with a little bit of Oreo filling, and put it in a cookie. A bit underwhelming really. I appreciate the fact that the cinnamon burn is muted, but the flavor itself is very meh. It's cinnamon yes, but 'nuthin' but cinnamon' just isn't that great a flavor to start with, and who would mix it with Chocolate of all things? Chocolate and Cinnamon generally do not go all that well together in my opinion, so this cookie is just a solution looking for a problem. For a Valentine's Day special, you sure are unloved Cinnamon Oreo. 

On the FACE Rating System, this gets 1 Frownie Face. It certainly is exactly what it says on the tin, er package, but what it is just isn't very good. It's not bad, it's just something I never wanted. The fact that I've now tried it only affirms my original conclusion of "no one would want that". If you really like Red Hots, maybe this might be for you. But really, outside of that very particular fetish, stay away. Go find a bear to hug.

Kotas Reviews Pepsi Fire

Well, the Summer is upon us and that means stifling heat and suffocating humidity! Isn't that great? Well, I don't know about you, but when it's hot outside, I often reach for a cool refreshing beverage to help chill my inner self, and hopefully distract me from the fact that parts of me are dying at this very moment! Hooray! And what better way to start off a bunch of beverage reviews than by one that is as refreshing as it is weird. Ladies and Gentlemen, let's take a peek at Pepsi Fire.

IT BURNS WITH MAN'S HUBRIS!

Pepsi used to be the hip, cool upstart to take on the soda behemoth known as Coca-Cola. In the 80s it was the choice of the Pepsi Generation, the winner of the Pepsi Challenge, and maker of one of the best promotional items ever. Still, it never quite managed to overcome its stalwart foe, and started introducing gimmicks to fire off in the vicious Soda Wars. From clear soda, to adding lemon to Cherry Vanilla flavoring, Pepsi was always the leader of soda gimmicks, with Coca-Cola not far behind...except maybe this time. I honestly never would have considered adding a cinnamon flavor to a cola of all things, but, seriously, how bad could it be?

Well, it LOOKS like a regular old soda, perhaps with a tinge of red. The packaging is about what I would expect from Pepsi, with the logo covered in a stylized flame and red being the prominent color of the label. The word "FIRE" is bold and eclipses the size of the word "Pepsi", which is a bold choice. The effervescence upon opening the cap is...well, it's intense. It sort of tickles, no...stings the nose with promises of something that burns. It is mildly unpleasant, but it doesn't linger too long. 

Drinking this is sort of like drinking a ginger beer, but with a lot less ginger and a lot more cinnamon flavor. The "burn" is about the same as a mild ginger beer. A little harsh, but not terrible. The cinnamon flavor doesn't go with the cola flavor AT ALL though, and just makes the whole thing taste sort of weird. Not very refreshing either, because the cinnamon clings to your tongue more than is comfortable. 

On the FACE Rating System, this gets 0 Faces. I finished the bottle, and it was sort of different, but not something I would really ever seek out again. It kind of reminds me of a low rent Fireball Whiskey cash in, to be honest. Maybe someone out there will love this, but I did not. Still, worth a try if you like novelty sodas. 

Kotas Reviews Cinnamon Roll Pop Tarts

I've waxed nostalgic about cinnamon rolls in the past, and I still stand by those words. The Cinnamon Roll is my go to baked good of choice. It straddles the realms of doughnuts and cakes, and yet is a unique spin on both. Ah, how I love thee, Cinnamon Roll. If only there was a good way to encapsulate your wonders in a toastable food product. Oh wait, I guess we have Pop Tarts. Let's get on with this.

I suppose it is at least trying

I like Pop Tarts. They are basically a comfort food, and there were a couple of weeks in grad school where I ate almost nothing but Pop Tarts for dinner, because they had a yuuuuuuuge sale. They also have a stupid amount of flavors from the humble Frosted Cherry to, uh, more unique offerings. Me, I'm a traditionalist. I like me some Cherry, Strawberry, and that's usually about it. Most other flavors are meh, and some are just...why are we calling them breakfast when they are more like dessert? Anyway, this one looks alright. It's Frosted, but not in a ridiculous sort of way, and the filling looks like yummy nummy cinnamon roll filling! Let's see how it goes!

It done broke weird.

The smell off of these things is almost but not quite unlike a cinnamon...something. Not a cinnamon roll, you understand, but definitely something with cinnamon. They look alright, as Pop Tarts should, but with the unique characteristics of the filling. Sadly, the flavor just isn't there. It's sorta cinnamon-ish, maybe, but it is not very strong and is really more brown sugar flavored more than anything. The "frosting" seems to clash with that flavor rather than compliment or enhance it. It's almost as if they focused more on the look than the taste. It sets expectations that it simply cannot meet. I wouldn't call it an abject failure, but it certainly does not live up to its claims of being "cinnamon roll" flavored. 

On the FACE Rating System, this gets a single Frowny Face. There are worse flavors of Pop Tarts, but this one sets up enough expectations that when it fails to achieve them it leaves a (pardon the pun) bad taste in the mouth. Someone with lower standards might give this a pass, but I do not. I really wouldn't bother with these, though if someone puts on in your hand its not gonna kill ya to take a bite. Unless you are allergic to disappointment, I guess.

Kotas Reviews Cinnamon Bun Oreos

My love of doughnuts is a constant topic of this blog, but I adore many varieties of pastry, and in fact my most beloved might be the cinnamon roll. The combination of delicious dough, sweet cinnamon filling, and of course a lovely vanilla glaze is one of my all time most craved desserts. So of course I had to review these. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, Cinnamon Bun Oreos.

The Glorious Excess of It All!

The difference between a cinnamon bun and a cinnamon roll is probably profound, but modern cookery has rendered them one and the same, so I won't nitpick. Besides, I never could figure it out in the first place. I'll hand it to Oreo this go around. They do seem to be branching out into the specialty cookie to compliment their string of specialty cremes. Look at that appetizing packaging, proudly proclaiming that we will find within a Cinnamon cookie, and not just an ordinary vanilla Oreo. Such wonders await within! Also noted is the return of the easy open packaging, which I very much appreciate. Let's tear into it.

Surprising absolutely no one.

The scent is definitely cinnamon pastry-ish, though it is less cinnamon-y than I would have expected. The cookie looks sort of like a vanilla Oreo, but with flecks of brown advertising the presence of cinnamon. Other then that, it pretty much resembles a vanilla Oreo. I found them to be difficult to twist off cleanly, but that is the most minor of complaints. How do they taste?

Pretty dang good, actually. The cinnamon cookie part has a good cinnamon flavor without being overwhelming, while the vanilla creme takes more cues from vanilla glaze than from Oreo's traditional vanilla creme and compliments the cookie well. The creme by itself is a little too sweet though, so enjoy this one as a package deal. I personally would have wanted more cinnamon flavor in the cookie, but this is still good. Huh, it's like Nabisco faithfully adapted a flavor into cookie format rather than simply trying to shove a flavor into the middle of an Oreo! Very thoughtful!

On the FACE Rating System, these get a solid 2 smiley faces. I'd buy them again, if I had a hankering for cinnamon buns and yet also wanted cookies, and I would happily eat them in a social setting. Oreo and cinnamon roll fans alike should try them out.

Kotas Reviews Sweetos

Hola Amigos! It's another blast from the "Winter Stockpile" past today, as I slowly clear out the back log. I am a big fan of innovation in snack foods, and lately, that seems to be the rule rather than the exception. How many flavors of Doritos does the world really need? All of them apparently, and many of them are actually good. Other snack foods have taken notice, like Lay's Chips, and the humble Cheeto has in recent years joined in on the fun. Today we look at their first foray into sweets: The Sweeto.

Now that's a mascot who knows how to party.

Cheetos were pretty straightforward for decades. First introduced in 1948 as "Crunchy Cheetos", they stayed exactly the same for over two decades before branching out into the Cheetos Puffs variety in 1971. They dabbled a bit in 1983 with a "Bacon" variety, but it wasn't until the 90s that different flavors of Cheetos were even really considered, with the addition of Flamin' Hot Cheetos. The 2000s saw an explosion of different flavors as well: Flamin' Hot con Limon, Chedder Jalapeno, Xxtra Hot, Salsa con Queso (I'm sensing a theme here), Honey BBQ, Mountain Dew (Seriously, but only in Japan for some reason...probably because Japan)...the list goes on. Still, Sweetos are their first foray into 100% sweet offerings and the first that can arguably not really be called Cheetos, because, well, no cheese flavors at all. A bold move by Frito-Lay, that's for sure.

I rather like the bag, with Chester Cheetah prominently displayed in a presumably Xtreme Sledding Event that has been marred by the appearance of the titular Sweetos. It's not very clear, but the package's purple portions are metallic in finish. Very freakin' classy. Let's see what's inside!

Well, that's about what I expected.

The cinnamon scent is extremely strong, as expected from a snack that bills itself as a Cinnamon Sugar Puff, and has a heavy quality to it that I just can't seem to place. The ring shape is not what I would have expected from the Cheetos people, but it probably allows for better flavor dust coverage or something. That or someone has a hankering for things that resemble doughnuts, but are not doughnuts. They resemble fat, cinnamon flavored Funyuns on the plate. Let's hope they taste good.

Actually, I was quite surprised by the flavor. I absolutely expected cinnamon and sugar, of course, along with a bit of corn base in the crunch, but what I absolutely did not expect was a strong butteriness to tie it all together. This is not the best description ever, but these taste EXACTLY like the cinnamon toast my mother used to make for me when I was a lad. It is uncanny, really, how many memories this flavor brought back to me of cold mornings and hot buttered cinnamon toast. Oh, I should probably mention that I really loved that cinnamon toast, so I really love this flavor. The after taste is a bit too corn-ish for a perfect recreation, but damn is it close. 

On the FACE Rating System, these get 2 smiley faces. If you love Cheetos...well, these might be up your alley, but there is very little beyond the packaging that screams Cheetos. As just a tasty snack though? Bring me more bags. I have more trips to take down memory lane. If you love cinnamon toast, you owe it to yourself to try these. Hopefully they will return next year for the Winter.