Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters
/Wow, my posting schedule isn’t very consistent at the moment is it? Perhaps I need some bitters to get me back to being healthy in my writing. Thankfully I used the term “bitters” to seamlessly transition to the name of the soda I’m reviewing today. Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters is what’s in the fancy green bottle in front of me and I’m looking forward to kicking off (13 days late) 2015 with this review.
Twist is bitter about bitters
Bundaberge Lemon Lime Bitters is a collection of cane sugar, spices, lemon juice, lime juice, and a few other ingredients not excluding some bitters. In fact the front of the label says it’s made with aromatic bitters...which we all know are the best kind for soda. Of course, we know that. Now we should all nod knowingly at one another to confirm that we know that. After a quick pause in this knowledge we’ll continue the review.
So, scary thing. When I opened this bottle it didn’t fizz at all yet the first ingredient is carbonated water. The aroma that flows out is that of lemon lime with a definite backer of unidentified spices. I’d be excited to move forward with this review, but part of me thinks the soda is flat and I’m not sure I want my first review of 2015 to be a dud. Sigh, oh well.
Good news everyone, this soda isn’t flat. It’s a very small, neat fizz, but it’s definitely there. The carbonation seems to add just enough texture that each sip is fun to experience. Thankfully the lemon lime flavor is present as well. That last sentence understated the lemon lime flavor quite a bit so let me try again.
I’ve had a lot of sodas and lemon lime is usually one of the more boring ones to review. Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters doesn’t fall into the boring category as it is a top 3 all time lemon lime soda. It’s incredibly easy to discern the lemon flavor from the lime. Normally when these two brothers are together people just assume they’re conjoined twins and call them lymon. Not in this bottle they aren’t.
Lemon and Lime each have their own distinct flavor and it harmonizes well. Each burst of citrus I’ve consumed is wrapped up in the bitters that Bundaberg has added. Of course this does make the drink lean toward bitter a tad, but the 40g of sugar offset that quite nicely. Instead of focusing on the bitter aspect of it I find myself trying to pick out all the spices used in the creation of this soda.
The spice aspect is something I haven’t experienced with a lemon lime soda before. Well, perhaps I have but I just can’t remember it at the moment. Either way it adds another level to an already good soda. You have lemon, lime, and then a full cast of supporting characters that make the play even better. Sure if only one of them were on stage you’d question the director, but the way they work together is wonderful.
The only weakness I can identify is the way it feels after I take a sip. I would think a beverage like this would have a drier mouth feel, but it’s not. Instead each sip ends with a bit of a syrupy feel (not too heavy though) that scuffs the overall experience.
With all that said, Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters is a fantastic soda that I would recommend anyone try. For those that like lemon lime, or fancy sodas, or spiced sodas, or citrus sodas in general… this one is for you.
~A
This soda was purchased at World Market
