All White Claw Flavors Ranked - Which One Comes Out On Top?

White Claw made a massive splash when it introduced its hard seltzers in 2016. Despite (or perhaps because of) all the disruptions and volatility in the world in the past decade — and a slew of wannabe competitors — the intrepid brand has somehow remained the main juggernaut in the ready-to-drink canned alcoholic beverage industry.

While White Claw has expanded its offerings to now include vodkas, canned cocktails, a specialty line of higher octane seltzers called Surge, and even non-alcoholic versions of their seltzers, the classic White Claw style is still going strong. With just 5% alcohol by volume, White Claw seltzer is the perfect light, refreshing, and convenient beverage to enjoy by the pool, at the beach, on a camping trip, or at a backyard barbecue. Over the years, White Claw has added new flavors to its classic lineup. While preparing to stock up on summer beverages, I wondered, how do they all stack up? To find out, I got my hands on all 15 fruit flavors of original White Claw, and put my sommelier skills to the test to determine which reigns supreme.

I love grapes. As a wine professional, I've studied them endlessly. I snack on them, I spread grape jam on toast and, of course, I love to indulge in their fermented juice. When it comes to grape flavored products, though, that's when I usually bow out. Grape soda, grape candy, even sweetened grape juice is hard for me to smell and taste without grimacing. Perhaps my youthful dalliance with grape-flavored Mad Dog 20/20 put me off of the flavor forever. Whatever the case, White Claw's grape seltzer unfortunately fell into that category for me.

That artificial grape flavor so prevalent in candies and beverages is extremely intense here, beginning with a burst of the aroma as soon as you crack open a can. I tried to push through my dislike of this flavor in general, which was difficult, but I think I landed on an actual criticism, which is that this seltzer tastes sweet and flat. It's missing a tartness that would help to balance out the strong fake-fruity flavor. If I want something involving grapes and alcohol, I'll stick to wine.

Blackberry White Claw suffered from the same issues as the grape flavor — mainly, that it's too sweet and one-dimensional. This aroma was not as off-putting to me as the grape was, which is why it got nudged one spot ahead. When I think of blackberries, my mouth waters at the thought of their brambly, woodsy, tart flavor, but I didn't pick up on any of that here.

Generally speaking with these seltzers, I'm impressed at how well they avoid the unpleasant aftertaste that often accompanies beverages made with malt liquor, which is the alcoholic base of White Claw's products. However, it occasionally rears its funky head, and for whatever reason I detected it more strongly in this flavor than most of the others. 

While this White Claw flavor is labeled natural lime, what it reminded me most of — especially in its aroma — was Rose's lime juice. Old-school bartenders will know that this one-time staple of every well is not a juice, actually, but a cordial, sweetened with high fructose corn syrup and shaded lime green thanks to artificial colors. Rose's may have some nostalgic fans, but generally speaking it's a thing of the past, as the world of mixology has moved on to using fresh lime in drinks like the classic gimlet.

Once I got that association in my head, I couldn't get past it. Flavor-wise, it reminded me of a Sprite. I'm not super mad about that, as I think Sprite is pretty tasty, but due to the label I was expecting a much tarter, zestier, fresher lime flavor. I could see myself reaching for this flavor if I'm in the mood for a classic lemon-lime soda experience, but it didn't reach my expectations.

Compared to the blackberry, I found the raspberry White Claw to be a much more enjoyable berry beverage. Neither the aromas nor the flavor profile were one-note or flat; each had intriguing dimensions. On the nose, a sweet fruity raspberry scent was accompanied by some subtle floral notes and a hint of green stemminess that reminded me of walking through a summer forest.

Flavor-wise, there's a nice tartness that makes it quite refreshing. There wasn't as much dimension on the palate as the nose suggested, and I did get a hint of maltiness on the finish that somewhat dampens the acidity. Though there is a lot to enjoy in White Claw's raspberry seltzer, there are also enough issues that it didn't make it any farther up this ranking.

There's a dense, deep muskiness in the aromatic profile of White Claw's mango seltzer that nearly made me swoon. Tropical fruits generally have that effect on me, and tropical fruit flavored products can when they're done well. On scent alone, this would rank among my favorites — one sniff had me transported to a beach, biting through tender skin into a mango's creamy, juicy flesh.

I really hoped that the palate would deliver on that promise, but a green, underripe flavor took me out of my reverie. Once again, a slight malty finish flattened out any dimension. The perfume of this mango seltzer is so fabulous, it seems impossible for the flavors to live up to its promise. I did have hope for such a scenario, but it sadly fell short.

Considering my personal berry preferences, I'm shocked that cranberry ranks higher than blackberry and raspberry in this ranking. I would never have expected that in a million years. As you've probably gathered, I love tartness and acidity, but cranberry is often a little too tart to me, without enough succulence or richness to balance the zip. White Claw's cranberry seltzer manages to create a balance that I don't often find with this fruit.

I contribute that balance to the malt base of this beverage, which can sometimes be a detriment, but in this case offers body that works to soften cranberry's harsher acidic edges. Cranberry White Claw is a lovely refreshing drink that I'll happily enjoy on a hot day, but it didn't have as much dimension as many of the others, which landed it here in the middle of the pack.

I've tried and failed about a million times to come up with a delicious and balanced cocktail using the storied and unique blood orange as an ingredient, so I was wary about how this White Claw flavor would fare. Typically, when I try to mix with blood orange juice, the drink always comes out tasting either too candied or too sour. I anticipated that this seltzer would fall into one of those buckets, but to my surprise, it didn't reach either of those extremes.

The aroma has a rich yet bright and zesty orange scent, like digging your fingernail into the peel of a ripe fruit. There's a sweetness on the nose and the palate, but it's like biting into a fresh orange, not artificial or candied at all. A slightly bitter, pithy note plays off of a subtle floral character. As much as I enjoyed this White Claw flavor, this is where things get tough — every flavor that ranked above this one just had a little something more interesting going on. Still, I'd drink this flavor all day long.

Lemon flavored beverages can go so right or so wrong. White Claw's lemon seltzer hits right in the middle — it's zesty and lemony, refreshing and bright. It's not particularly complex or thought-provoking, but it's a tasty seltzer. I found this flavor so much more natural tasting than the inaptly named natural lime, without any hint of artificial or candied flavor.

A few things keep this from rising higher up, though I'll happily drink this flavor anytime. Compared to the flavors ranked above it, the lemon seltzer is a bit one-dimensional. It nails its namesake flavor, but there are several other seltzers that have more going on. I also wished it had just a touch more tanginess. Overall, though, it's a simple yet delightful drink.

The subtlety of White Claw's watermelon flavor took me by surprise. I was expecting a Jolly Rancher or gummy candy type of watermelon, but what I got from the aroma was a faint hint of green rind and a mildly sweet and fresh fruitiness. The palate echoed that nuance. What I love about biting into fresh watermelon is its crisp, hydrating juiciness, and this seltzer emulates that experience very well.

On a hot summer day, a watermelon White Claw is going to be a tough drink to beat. It's refreshing, light, and feels hydrating (keep in mind, though it has that vibe, alcoholic beverages are not actually hydrating). In a vacuum, I loved this flavor and thought it might be number one. Once I tried it alongside some others, however, its delicate flavor became so overpowered that I couldn't detect much of anything. 

Now, I know I'm always complaining about candied flavors, because I prefer more natural fruit notes. There is an aroma of candied strawberry in this White Claw, but it's so well-balanced with other dimensions that I not only didn't mind it, I loved it. You know those strawberry hard candies with wrappers that look like the fruit? That's what this scent reminded me of, and I felt transported back to my childhood. Why it works here is because that candy aroma is just the first to hit, followed by a bright citrus note and then a real ripe strawberry scent.

That trio of aromas is echoed in the seltzer's flavors, and it just works. The multi-dimensional strawberry notes move from delicate to intense, candied and sweet to just-picked and juicy, and then a crisp lemony note brightens it all up. We're getting into the elite flavor territory here, so there's not much to nitpick with this one — a bit of malty flatness on the finish was my only issue.

Of all the tropical fruits I love, pineapple is at the apex of the mountain. I was glad to find that White Claw's pineapple seltzer does the fruit justice. If I'm picking a flavor to take to the beach or sip by the pool, this pineapple is probably going to be the first one I reach for. It smells and tastes like vacation.

The aroma has a very ripe, juicy quality, almost verging on overripe or baked, with just a hint of caramelized sugar, like a pineapple upside-down cake. That made me think the palate would be quite sweet, but it's actually very fresh, light, and brightly crisp. That interplay of aroma and flavor makes this a joy to drink. I wish there was just a little more flavor heft, as it fades out a bit, but that's a very minor issue in an overall delicious seltzer.

Is there a fruit that embodies summertime better than a peach? I wait impatiently all year for peak peach season, and with one sip of White Claw's peach seltzer, I felt like I was right there in the thick of it. The aroma of ripe peaches, almost verging into bruised peach territory, practically erupts out of the can. There's a lovely high-toned blossom scent as well that beautifully complements the rich fruit note.

The palate is just a touch too far on the sweet side, with the taste of peach ring candy wavering in and out atop a fleshy, juicy, more natural peach flavor. That sweetness is not a dealbreaker, though. I'll happily drink peach White Claw all summer, and the rest of the year too when I need a sunny pick-me-up.

The satisfying snap as you pierce the skin of a green apple and sink your teeth into the crisp flesh, the refreshing tartness of each juicy bite — all of these sensations are evoked when you treat yourself to a green apple White Claw. Reminiscent in aroma and flavor to a Granny Smith apple (shout-out to the variety's cultivator, Maria Ann Smith), this seltzer is brimming with energetic zip.

I'm a big fan of dry hard ciders, and though this seltzer is obviously not made with real apples like those are, it has a similar vibe to some that I've enjoyed in the past. There's a really lovely apple blossom aroma, too, that carries on to the palate and adds a sophisticated, elegant dimension. As we get into these top three seltzer flavors, there's really no flaws to point out — green apple gets bronze by just a hair.

Of all the orchard fruit flavors, White Claw's black cherry seltzer exhibited the most complex yet cohesive profile. Its perfume is gorgeous, with ripe, sweet cherry accented by an array of floral scents, from high-toned cherry blossoms to deeper violet notes. Seriously, I would wear this scent as a perfume. It's got just the right intensity, too — it doesn't smack you in the face, but it doesn't shy away, either. 

With many of these seltzers that wowed me with their aromas, the palate ended up disappointing my taste buds. Not so with the black cherry. Rich and ripe dark fruity flavors abound, and the carbonation brings out a sharp, citric tartness that brightens every note. Black cherry White Claw is a top-tier seltzer, solidly delicious, and could easily have taken first place if there wasn't one other flavor that offered a transcendent taste experience. As it stands, it's a close runner-up.

Not to give away too much of my personal history, but for the past several years I've had to avoid grapefruit on doctor's orders. Grapefruit contains certain chemicals that can cause problems when mixed with specific types of medication, so I've been staunchly avoiding everything even remotely grapefruit-related just to be safe. Just recently, I've been cleared to enjoy it again, and tasting this ruby grapefruit White Claw was my first grapefruit experience in over three years. I can't say for sure if that has anything to do with why I gave it the gold medal, but I truly loved everything about this seltzer.

The aroma is so close to a real ruby red grapefruit that if you close your eyes, you could easily be fooled. An energizing and uplifting blend of floral and citrus notes, with just a hint of pithy bitterness, dance right out of the can. The palate is tart and refreshing, with just enough of a zesty finish that you can't wait to go back for another sip. I couldn't have asked for a more delightful way to re-enter my grapefruit-loving era.

Some flavors of White Claw in this ranking were provided to me by the company, and some I purchased myself. The provided products in no way affected how each flavor ranked. Once all 15 varieties were acquired, I applied my professional sommelier experience to this project, utilizing my skills in detecting aromas, flavors, and balance. For each White Claw variety, I noted everything I smelled and tasted, and judged how close the beverage came to tasting like its namesake flavor.

While there are certain fruit flavors that I personally prefer over others, I tried to keep my bias out of the equation as much as possible, and judge each variety based purely on its balance and quality. The flavors that tasted closest to real fruit, lacked any "off" aromas or flavors, and were the most refreshing made their way to the top of the ranking.