Coca-Cola’s New Space-Inspired Flavor Is A Berry Cosmic Creation

In Elite Daily's series Chef's Kiss, we taste the latest food and drink trends to help you figure out which ones you definitely don’t want to sleep on. In this piece, we taste Coca-Cola’s new Creation, Starlight.

Get ready for an out-of-this-world experience the next time you twist open a Coke. On Feb. 17, the company announced Coca-Cola Creations, an initiative meant to reimagine the brand with new collaborations and ideas. That same day, Coke also announced its first Coca-Cola Creation: Coca-Cola Starlight. The company says the drink was inspired by space, but what exactly does that mean for your taste buds? This Coca-Cola Starlight review breaks down how the new sip is a stellar take on the OG Coke flavor.

Coca-Cola Starlight landed on store shelves Feb. 21, and it’ll be available for the next six months or so. ICYDK, Coke actually has a long-standing connection to outer space. According to the company’s press release, the exclusive Starlight flavor was created with the company’s 35-year-old partnership with NASA in mind. Coke was one of the first soft-drinks to travel to space on the STS 51-F mission in 1985, per the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum website, so Coca-Cola’s Starlight Creation is perfect for reliving the historic space journey from the comfort of your home.

Starlight has a reddish hue, and Coca-Cola describes its flavor in the press release as “great Coca-Cola taste with a dash of the unexpected.” Per the release, you’ll taste “notes reminiscent of stargazing around a campfire” and experience “a cooling sensation that evokes the feeling of a cold journey to space.” Again, what does that really mean? Elite Daily editor Collette Reitz got an early taste of the Starlight Coke Zero to find out.

Off the bat, the packaging clues you in to the intergalactic inspiration for the soda, especially with the Milky Way-esque background and moody colors that make you want to go star-gazing. On first sip, Reitz immediately noticed the flavor was like nothing she’d ever tasted in a soda before, which she says made identifying the flavor profile a bit tricky. She noticed strong “berry and vanilla flavors,” but it wasn’t until she got a whiff of the drink that she was convinced. “After smelling the soda, the berry scent came through, with a hint of what I believe is vanilla,” Reitz shares.

So, how does Starlight measure up to the OG? “I didn’t really get any of the classic Coke or Coke Zero flavors off the bat,” Reitz says, adding that the cola flavor you’re used to comes through a little bit more with each sip. All in all, Reitz shares that if you’re looking for a shake-up to the traditional Coke flavor, Coca-Cola Starlight definitely delivers.

As for whether or not the sip will send your taste buds to space, she says, “You’ll have to taste it for yourself and see what flavors come through for you.”

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If you think you can handle the intergalactic journey, you can keep an eye out for Starlight where you usually buy your Coke products. According to a Coca-Cola spokesperson, Starlight will sell for a similar price as other Coke sips. You can also keep an eye out for more Creations later in the year.

Before heading out to cop your own bottle of Coca-Cola Starlight, make sure to check the CDC guidelines for the most updated health rules.