11 Discontinued Coke Flavors We Probably Won't See Again
At this point in time, there have been dozens of varieties of Coca-Cola flavors released into the world. From the various attempts at sugar-free and caffeine-free flavors to other wacky varieties, it seems there's always a new flavor being introduced. But that doesn't mean all of them stand the test of time. In fact, most of these Coke flavors are only available for a limited period.
These doomed Coke flavors range from mysterious, lesser-known varieties like Coca-Cola Starlight to more well-received flavors like Black Cherry Vanilla. There have been Coke and Diet Coke flavors you probably never heard of or even had an opportunity to try. Although you can still buy a can or two of some of these flavors online, we don't think they'll be returning to official release — or the shelves of your nearest grocery store — anytime soon. Here are 11 discontinued Coke flavors we probably won't see again.
1. Coca-Cola with Lime
Coke with Lime and Diet Coke with Lime were two short-lived Coke flavors. Despite the popularity of lime as a bright addition to a beverage or cocktail, there is little hope of ever seeing these flavored drinks in bottles or cans ever again.
Both Coke drinks were introduced around the year 2005. However, while Coke with Lime was discontinued within a few years, around 2006, Diet Coke with Lime lasted much longer. The diet version of this beverage wasn't discontinued until around 2018. Just like that, fans said goodbye.
You might never be able to have these drinks back, but you will find a close approximation to either beverage if you visit a Coke Freestyle machine — a large, electronic soda fountain that is stationed in some businesses, such as movie theater chains. You could also purchase a Coke and add your own squeeze of fresh lime.
2. Orange Vanilla
This is another Coke flavor that is no longer mass-produced but can still be found in Coke Freestyle machines. This creamsicle-inspired drink was a summertime favorite for soda drinkers who wanted a hint of refreshment paired with their caffeinated go-to. Unfortunately, you can no longer find cans and bottles of Orange Vanilla Coke in your local grocery store.
Orange Vanilla Coke and Orange Vanilla Coke Zero were introduced in 2019, but no more than four years later the products were discontinued. This flavor has been swiped from store shelves in the United States and the United Kingdom circa by 2022. This was confirmed by a social media user who tweeted about the Coke brand in January 2022. They received a reply from the Coke brand's Twitter confirming the discontinuation and shared the news on Reddit. Your best bet to try Orange Vanilla Coke is to find a place with a Coke Freestyle machine, which is usually your nearest AMC theater or Burger King.
3. Black Cherry Vanilla
This is another creamy and refreshing take on Coca-Cola that was eventually put out to pasture. But it didn't go out without a fight. Black Cherry Vanilla Coke and its Diet Coke form only existed for a short time beginning in 2006. It was discontinued around one year later. Despite its short lifespan, it still has a dedicated fan base constantly calling for it to be brought back. It's the kind of thing where people are selling single cans of this flavor on eBay, just because there are people out there looking for them.
You may be wondering: what is the interest in this flavor? But it seems that Coke fans seem to like anything Cherry Vanilla. The drink even made a comeback in 2020, with an in-store release that launched that year. However, since Black Cherry Vanilla is basically just a slightly different take on a product the Coca-Cola company has more recently and officially embraced, we doubt this flavor will ever see the light of day again.
4. Coca-Cola Blak
If you have ever drunk a Coke and wished it had double the amount of caffeine, then you definitely missed the boat on Coca-Cola Blak. This Coke drink was introduced in 2006 but stayed on store shelves for less than two years. Coca-Cola would go on to launch more unsuccessful attempts at the same idea.
In the years since, the company has made no shortage of attempts to amp up the caffeine content of a can of Coke by way of mixing the beverage with espresso (Coke Plus Coffee) or energy drinks (Coke Energy). Unfortunately, neither of these two efforts have ever caught on and each one lasted about as long as Coke Blak. If the Coca-Cola company has learned its lesson, it will continue to keep coffee and energy drinks separate from its beloved Coke products. The world is not yet eager to see these drinks combined.
5. Coke Zero Cinnamon
Cinnamon-flavored Coca-Cola is far from a traditional soda flavor. It's not every day that you combine an aromatic spice like cinnamon with a soda like Coke.
Coke Zero Cinnamon was introduced back in 2018. It was initially released in the U.K. as Coke Zero Cinnamon. The following year, the regular version of this flavor (Coke Cinnamon) made its way to the U.S. With its unique spiciness, it was advertised as a seasonal flavor. It debuted alongside the Sprite flavor of Winter Cranberry.
Contrasted with competitor Pepsi's cinnamon soda (Pepsi Fire) the flavor of Cinnamon Coke is much milder, according to The Impulsive Buy. However, this was not enough to save the drink, and its initial release run ended around 2020. The seasonal advertising aspect did not seem to be enough to keep this drink in the public's favor. However, there were a few fans. "Cinnamon Coke was da bomb in mixed drinks," wrote one Reddit user.
6. Starlight
In 2022, Coca-Cola introduced the flavor Starlight. This galactic creation reached for the stars, but the flavor landed a bit closer to Earth. But in the grand scope of things, it's one of many flavors to follow the same path.
The limited-time release of Coca-Cola Starlight was marketed by the beverage company in quite a confusing way. The brand wrote: "Starlight's red hue sparkles with a cooling sensation that has been transformed by the magic of space." This description makes it difficult to discern what this beverage actually tastes like.
According to Food Network, this little bit of liquid magic tasted like cotton candy. They picked up hints of vanilla and mint among the sweetness as well. There was even an ambiguous fruit flavor in there. Starlight was sold in both Coke and Coke Zero varieties. These were discontinued in 2022. A similarly confusing flavor, Coke Dreamworld, was released around the time of Coke Starlight's discontinuation.
7. Dreamworld
Just as Coca-Cola Starlight was getting used to the limelight, it was forcibly removed from the stage only to be replaced with it an even more psychedelic flavor. Enter Coke Dreamworld, also available in Coke Zero form as well.
Introduced in August 2022 in the U.S. and Canada, the Dreamworld flavor "taps into Gen Z's passion for the infinite potential of the mind by exploring what a dream tastes like," according to Coca-Cola Creative & Shopper Program Director Alessandra Cascino.
Once again, this Coke flavor does not actually taste like what it's sold as because that's not possible. Instead, Dreamworld had a citrus hint to it that made it not quite as sweet as Starlight, but reviewers at places such as CNET found the flavors resembled each other. Similar to other Coca-Cola Creations line beverages like Starlight and the latest Coca-Cola Transformation, this limited edition flavor was only ever intended to be on store shelves for six months.
8. Diet Coke Plus
To add a healthy angle to their products, the Coca-Cola company released a flavor called Diet Coke Plus. Released in 2007, the "Plus" part of the name stood for "plus vitamins."
Diet Coke Plus included extra doses of zinc, magnesium, and other nutrients aimed to help you boost your daily intake of vitamins and minerals. There were actually two varieties sold. One was Diet Coke Plus Antioxidants. This drink was made with green tea and vitamin C. The other was called Diet Coke Plus Vitamins. It contained niacin, B12, and C.
While the flavor wasn't ultimately too different from regular Diet Coke, it wasn't a hit either. U.K. supermarkets stopped carrying Diet Coke Plus less than a year after it first hit store shelves. The health-conscious diet soda trend didn't last much longer than that anywhere, as evidenced by Pepsi's discontinued Tava, a similar product that turned out to be a flop.
9. The New Diet Coke flavors
Around 2018, Coca-Cola went all out on a new line of Diet Coke flavors. This included a number of experimental and trendy flavors that, to be honest, we doubt we will ever see again.
The initial Diet Coke flavor selection included Ginger Lime, Feisty Cherry, Zesty Blood Orange, and Twisted Mango. These weren't super outrageous, but they didn't please many fans. In 2019, the company continued its efforts by releasing Blueberry Acai and Strawberry Guava Diet Coke flavors. Unfortunately, expanding the offerings didn't help the initiative last another year.
In a 2020 move where the brand chose to kill off over 200 beverages across all Coca-Cola products, these eclectic flavors were axed. While we won't probably see any of these flavors again, we also don't think very many people are upset about this. But given the popularity of Coke, there are at least a few fans who were probably initially disappointed.
10. Raspberry
As it stands now, though, the only way to find raspberry-flavored Coke these days is to find an old can or bottle in the countries where this flavor was once sold.
Raspberry Coke was first introduced in 2005, and only in New Zealand. Diet Coke and Coca-Cola Raspberry were sold and discontinued in New Zealand that same year. They were not brought back until 2017 when they hit Australia for a limited time. Both drinks were joined by the new addition of a Raspberry Coke Zero. Eventually, they were released in the U.K. in the summer of 2019. This Zero Sugar Raspberry Coke was brought to Australian supermarkets again earlier in 2023.
In the States, you can reach for this flavor in a Coke Freestyle machine. A similar flavor was also released in the U.S. in 2018 when Coca-Cola dropped California Raspberry Coke. These beverages were only sold for a limited time.
11. Georgia Peach
Coca-Cola launched California Raspberry alongside the flavor of Georgia Peach. Peach lovers, especially Georgians, will know that this flavor is especially hard to capture artificially. So it's surprising then that the folks who got their hands on this Coke flavor mostly had good things to say.
The consensus on Georgia Peach seems to be that Coca-Cola nailed that natural fruity taste with this drink, and didn't lean on artificial peach candy flavor too much. According to reviewer The Soda Jerk, there is a nectar-like flavor that first hits the palate, before the iconic taste of original Coca-Cola kicks in to finish it off.
In a taste test comparing the Georgia Peach to the California Raspberry, Paste Magazine was a much bigger fan of the peach flavor, giving it a higher rating. While this rarity certainly seemed like a hit, it's doubtful there will be enough demand to ever bring this refreshingly tart Coke flavor back.