A few years ago, I was lucky enough to accompany my mom on a trip to Rome. We saw coliseums, churches, and museums. You know what we didn't see? LemonCocco.
Now, I'm not calling this beverage a liar, but...it's a liar. The text on the can claims that LemonCocco is THE drink in Rome with coconut and lemon vendors lining the streets, and unless this is some kind of recent development, Icall BSdeclare shenanigans.
To be fair, pretty much all food items puff up their chests and make these bold declarations to drum up buzz and business, so I can't really fault them for that. (Just like every pizza place claims they have the "best pizza in <insert area here>," or were "voted best in <random publication>.") I can't exactly fly out to Rome and search for street vendors to see if their claims are true, but what I CAN do is see if this drink is any good.
The can is decorated in yellow and white overlapped circular scales with black accents. It looks pretty sporty, and I can definitely see an Italian influence. (San Pelligrino is quaking.) I tried to remove the price sticker to get a decent photo, but it started coming off in bits and...I got lazy. I left things as-is, but trust me: the can looks a lot nicer without the red-orange label smack-dab in the center of the logo.
On the backside of the can are the usual suspects: ingredients, nutritional information, and a blurb about the product. All-in-all, this is a nice looking product, but it's not quite bold enough or unique to really stand out on the shelves when grouped with other canned drinks. The market I bought this from is small, and adorable, so these were a featured product in a barrel with some ice to keep them cool. If they hadn't been in that position, front and center, I may not have noticed it at all.
Honestly, due to it being in a can, I expected this to be carbonated, but it's not. The can even recommends giving things a good shake to mix the contents before opening which is a big carbonation no-no.
So, it's not a soda. This is some kind of coconut lemonade. Lemons and coconuts might not be the first combination I would ever think to put together, but it doesn't sound half bad.
I gave things a shake, then opened it up to take a closer look. Once opened, it smells really light and refreshing. The creamy coconut aroma is significantly stronger than the lemon, but both scents are natural and mild. The scent is really refreshing and summery. So far I'm completely on-board, but in the back of my mind I am scared this might taste like lemony coconut water. (I don't know how people drink coconut water. I've tried it in the past and it just tastes like I am drinking sweat.)
When poured into a glass, you can see that the drink is a cloudy off-white color and every now and again you might see a little white chunk floating around which (I am 98% sure) is the solidified coconut creme. I now see why they opted for cans instead of clear bottles.
I took a sip, and I can't remember the last time I had something so refreshing. This is exactly what it promised to be, which is a coconut infused lemonade. The lemonade base is lightly sweetened, similar to homemade, and it is mixed with a subtle creamy hint of coconut. Neither flavor, lemon or coconut, seem to over power the other, and neither flavor lingers on your tongue. Every once in a while I'll get a tiny chunk of the coconut creme, but it melts on the tongue (like coconut oil) and gives you a tiny, mild, coconut punch before fading back into refreshing lemonade sweetness. Personally, I feel like the coconut flavoring is rather mild, but if you aren't into coconut at all, this isn't the drink for you. My fiance and his daughter both dislike coconut and neither one of them liked this, but that just means more for me!
I like this, a LOT, but it is pretty pricey at $2.29 cents a can. I looked online, and it turns out that #1, this is produced by Jones Soda company (which I grew up loving), and #2, you can buy a case of 12 cans online for $23.99 (roughly $1.99 per can thanks to free shipping). It's also on Amazon but it's even pricier there!
This tastes so light, authentic, and refreshing. Who cares if it's actually sold in Rome! If you happen to see it around, and you like coconut, I definitely recommend giving LemonCocco a try, but the price per-can is a bit too rich for my blood to make this a grocery staple in my household. For me, this will become an occasional indulgence and it might be added to my wedding registry.
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