Jones Soda Christmas Pack: Christmas Tree

All right, it's time. Christmas Tree flavor. My background music? "O Tannenbaum," of course.

The soda is green--a good, proper evergreen green. It's slightly murky, but not overly much so. If I hold it close to the computer monitor, I can read through it.

The picture on the bottle depicts two Dalmatians flanking a Bassett hound, all wrapped in shining red and green Christmas lights. One Dalmatian is yawning, the other peering intently off to the side, perhaps looking for an escape route. The Bassett hound is gazing at the person holding the camera, his soulful eyes pleading, "Why did you do this to us? Why?"

The message under the bottle cap reads, "Your good listening skills will open many doors to you." Shouldn't that be, "doors for you?"

It smells . . . not all that bad, actually. The scent is mild, with a hint of pine. Not overwhelming. I find it surprisingly pleasant.

The flavor can only be described as pine. It tastes stronger than it smells. Not that I've ever eaten a coniferous tree of any sort, but it really does taste like Christmas tree. A little sweet, but not too much. The sweet does not overwhelm the pine. It's actually quite good. I find myself rather liking it.

I'm surprised and delighted. I really expected it to be horrible, but for all it's weirdness--and believe me, the strangeness does not wear off with each successive sip--it's delicious. I can't imagine any other food or drink this could be served with. It's the kind of flavor that really must stand alone. But it is worthy indeed.

And this concludes this season's reviews of Jones Soda special holiday flavors. (I really, really wish I'd been able to sample the Chanukah Pack, as well, but my friend and I couldn't find it anywhere.) Hope you've enjoyed them. I know I have.