Coca-Cola Is Testing A Boozy Beverage In Japan

If you're looking for a wide variety of Coca-Cola products, head to Japan. Throughout the years, the country has seen the carbonated beverage flavored with cherry blossom and coffee, and creators even recently launched one that doubles as a laxative. The brand is currently testing a new drink that plays on a classic cocktail: the rum and coke. That's right, Coca-Cola made an alcoholic beverage for the first time in nearly 132 years.

In an interview on Coca-Cola's website, Jorge Garduño, president of the brand's Japan business unit, revealed that the company is experimenting with Chu-Hi — a canned alcoholic drink made with the spirit shōchū mixed with sparkling water and flavoring. It is not clear at this time whether the new version will taste like regular Coke.

According to the New York Daily News, Chu-Hi drinks are sometimes called "alcopops" because of their low-alcohol content of 3 to 8 percent.

Implementing booze into beverages would be a first for the brand, as it's always sold non-alcoholic drinks. Garduño says it's not uncommon for alcoholic drinks to be implemented into the same system as the latter, but that people outside of Japan shouldn't expect to see this product.

"I don't think people around the world should expect to see this kind of thing from Coca-Cola," he said in the interview. "While many markets are becoming more like Japan, I think the culture here is still very unique and special, so many products that are born here will stay here."

Some of those one-of-a-kind items include Nicolas Cage cheese puffs, low-aroma fried chicken from KFC, and cough drop-flavored Kit Kat bars. To see what else Japan is snacking on, check out these 10 things you can buy from its vending machines.