Last spring, BDCwire took an early taste of Polar Seltzer’s summer seasonal flavors. Now, our favorite local beverage company is giving us a sample of its new seasonal offerings, which hit stores today.
Unlike other sodas and seltzers, Worcester-based Polar treats its beverages like experiments– doing limited runs of flavors, some of which pay off, and other maybe only being worth a taste or two. The winter bounty of drinks is no different, mixing comforting hues that balance out the cold weather with hints of citrus to give a refreshing splash amongst the dreary weather.
The winter seasonal line is as follows:
| Cranberry & Clementine |
Easily our favorite of this winter’s crop, Cranberry & Clementine will be a small burst of sunshine once the snow comes and we all start to think that life sucks. To all the haters who may be thinking, “Clementine? That’s basically just orange,” think again. We’d be a three-legged dog if we told you that the clementine hints in this beverage didn’t actually taste distinctly like clementine. This is one that you’ll be able to mix, but is nice and refreshing straight up as well.
| Champagne Strawberry |
The Polar faithful know that Champagne Strawberry was already used as a seasonal flavor, but got such high reviews that they brought it back with this winter’s collection. You’re probably thinking, “Polar, are you trying to get me drunk?” We can’t confirm either way, but we do know that this flavor doesn’t contain any real champagne, so cool your jets. As a matter of fact, Champagne Strawberry has very subtle champagne hints. The strawberry really takes charge here, so the kids will love it, as long as you’re OK giving it to them (don’t be a lame parent).
| Blackberry Bergamot |
If our credible friend Wikipedia knows anything, bergamot is an essential oil found in the rind of an orange. Now that that’s out of the way, you’re probably salivating at the thought of getting your hands on some of the Blackberry Bergamot seltzer. As you should. This delightful bit of bubbly has strong hues of blackberry, making for a great mixer, or something to sip on slowly throughout the afternoon.
| Ginger Apple |
This seems like the most seasonal of the winter seasonal flavors, as both ginger and apple come to the forefront of the desert world once the holidays arrive. Anyone looking to quell an upset stomach should check this seltzer out, because Polar has a pretty heavy hand on the ginger. It makes for a yummy winter treat without the guilt of taking the life of a gingerbread man.
| Toasted Coconut Creme |
We rated this one the lowest of all of this year’s seasonal seltzers, but we also rarely critique food, so none of this really matters all that much anyway. The smell of this offering is quite pleasant, and quite strong too, but unless you’re really a huge fan of coconut, like the type of person who is excited when you get a Mounds candy bar at Halloween, this might taste a bit strong to you too. It’s still worth a try though, and with the right additional ingredients, it could even contribute to a sweet and tasty cocktail.
