Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream gets a holiday makeover

It wouldn’t be the holidays if there wasn’t a soda company getting in on the spirit of the season. (No, not that soda company. The other major one.) Pepsi announced earlier this month that it was reintroducing Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream and Pepsi Zero Sugar Wild Cherry & Cream, with a special focus on the soda flavor being perfect for this time of year.

“At Pepsi, we make the best-tasting cola, and cherry cola has been one of our specialties for decades. Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream builds on this legacy, offering a delicious, creamy twist to the sweet cherry-flavored cola that millions already love,” Gustavo Reyna, vice president of marketing at Pepsi, said in a statement. “The holidays are the perfect moment to debut the flavor’s decadent new packaging and 20 oz. bottle offering — when people want to treat themselves to something rich, irresistibly smooth and just plain delicious.”

When we last saw Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream, it was making its introduction at the beginning of the year in packaging that invoked the look of those stained-glass hanging lamps that used to be ubiquitous at diners and restaurants. (Or, if you’re a millennial like me, at Pizza Hut.)

Is Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream the perfect soda to crack open as you dive back into the world for one last round of holiday shopping?

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What it costs

You can currently pick up a 12-pack of 12 oz. cans on Walmart’s website for $8.27.

My thoughts

With both a regular and Zero Sugar version of Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream to try, I figured I’d go with the regular version first. Creating a control when tasting sodas is part of the scientific method, right? It’s been a long time since I took a science class.

Pepsi describes the flavor combo of this offering as “a burst of bold cherry cola flavor, layered with a rich, smooth, creamy vanilla finish.” While Coca-Cola Holiday Creamy Vanilla went with a very subdued take on “creamy vanilla,” Pepsi’s take on that flavor profile is much more in your face. (If you’ve followed the Cola Wars at any point over the past several decades, this split on “creamy vanilla” fits both brand’s approaches to soda and isn’t a surprise at all.)

It’s been a long time since I drank non-diet soda on a regular basis, which makes it hard for me to get beyond the sugariness of the regular version of Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream. The flavors are all there, but I need some of these dials to be turned down.

The Zero Sugar version of Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream was obviously going to be the winner when it came to my soda palate. This was a much more enjoyable and balanced drink. I still can’t quite figure out how to describe the cream flavor — it’s spiced but it’s not spiced? — but it works so much better in a less sugary format.

Snack score

🍪🍪🍪 (3 out of 5 cookies)

Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream does a lot of things right. I obviously love that it comes in a Zero Sugar version, and Pepsi Wild Cherry has always been a great addition to the Pepsi lineup. This one honestly sits a touch higher than three cookies when it comes to its snack score, but the “Cream” part of Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream holds it back from reaching that four-cookies level.

I will probably pick up another bottle, though, to give Pepsi’s suggestion of mixing it with some egg nog to create a wintery dirty soda. (Reminder to self: Buy a bunch of egg nog.)

Pepsi Wild Cherry & Cream was provided to Snackology for this independent review.