Jones Soda Mele Kalikimaka Soda

OK, so it doesn't contain rum, but it is part of the 2008 Jones Soda Holiday collection, so what do you expect? What you should look forward to, however, is the coconut and pineapple flavors that are found in this tasty drink.

4-pack Bottle Packaging – One Side
Photo #10132 by Cindi Miller Herleman, Aurora, CO
(Snow, lights, candy canes… you can't go wrong with this shot)

Not that you don't know what Mele Kalikimaka means given that you've probably heard Bing Crosby sing it a zillion times already during December, but the phrase is a Hawaiian transliteration for "Merry Christmas". Obviously, this phrase was used since piña coladas contain coconut cream and pineapple juice, both having origins in Hawaii.

4-pack Bottle Packaging – Other Side
Photo #10143 by Tracey Stricklin, Montgomery, AL
(Close-up of a gingerbread house… very colorful)

The color of the drink is a pale yellow, more muted in tone, kinda of like murky water. OK, so maybe that wasn't a good analogy, but you get the idea, right?

It's a retro snowman scene!
Photo #10234 by Phil Hoffman, Pembroke, ON

When you open the bottle, the scent is very obvious. It's pretty hard to miss the pineapple + coconut combination. It's pleasant!

Look people, Dogs+Christmas=FAIL!
Photo #10221 by Megan Bredesen, Crest Hill, IL

As for the taste, you are greeted with a smooth pineapple-influenced taste. Very clean, little negative aftertaste. The coconut adds a bit of creaminess and compliments the flavor nicely.

I really have no idea what's going on here
Photo #10242 by Fatima Chishti, Niles, IL

Obviously, if you are already a piña colada fan, then this drink is for you. Even if you aren't, the combinations of tastes are very positive and make for pretty tasty diversion from what you'd usually find around Christmas. Plus, it's caffeine free and Kosher!

You can't go wrong with a huge indoor tree!
Photo #10182 by Jessica Downey, Battle Creek, MI

Like Jones Monster Mojito Soda, the Jones Soda folks seem to have found a nice niche here with Mele Kalikimaka Soda in regards to non-alcoholic soda versions of something you'd order at a bar. This drink is tasty, clean, and innovative… totally worth tracking down and enjoying this holiday season.

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Jones Soda Pear Tree Soda

Pear Tree is yellowish in color, hinting a little more to the green side of things, much like an actual pear. It's more vibrant rather than muted. In other words, not a very natural appearance.

4-pack Bottle Packaging – One Side
Photo #10140 by Susan Bryant, San Leandro, CA
(This is just a nice shot of ornaments with great colors)

It's part of a 4-Pack that's exclusively available at Target, complete with user-contributed artwork on both the bottle labels and the packaging.

4-pack Bottle Packaging – Other Side
Photo #10131 by Haidee Gerald, Ocean Springs, MS
(I've seen this shot before. Oh, that's right… here!)

Upon opening the screw-on cap, you actually don't smell a whole lot. The scent is very hard to place. There's a sweetness present, but that's about it.

When you drink it, you have to do a double take, because frankly, there's not much flavor there. It's carbonated and all, but that's about it. We're talking Sprite-ish in taste, but you can't even place something like a lemon-lime element at play.

Not only on the box, but Susan got on the bottle too!
Photo #10140 by Susan Bryant, San Leandro, CA

The flavor is severely subdued, but sweet. It's not a bad flavor, but just not strong enough. The aftertaste is clean, though it's pretty much non-existant.

I'm not a fan of dogs, seriously!
Photo #10172 by Gerri Shewmaker, Daleville, IN

I was hoping for more of a fruit-inspired flavor here, but that's just not reality. Perhaps the intent of this drink was to be more of a mixer, because as a stand-alone soft drink, it doesn't stack up very well.

Is this a garden with ornaments? Very creative!
Photo #10236 by Michael Webster, Delta, BC

However, if you are looking for something very light… and by that I mean VERY light in flavor, then perhaps Pear Tree Soda is something you should check out.

Some sort of static Christmas scene… I liked it!
Photo #10215 by Laura Zaino, Brooklyn, NY

Overall, Jones Soda Pear Tree Soda was a disappointment, but not because it tasted bad… it just didn't have enough taste… period.

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Jones Soda Candy Cane Soda

The first year it was featured we didn't think too highly of it. It tasted like bad mouthwash. Then last year cane sugar was added and our opinion improved greatly.

4-pack Bottle Packaging – One Side
Photo #10145 by Missi Wenz, Ephrata, MA
(You have to look carefully, but these are actually a bunch of feet w/socks!)

Once again, it's bundled in a 4-Pack that's exclusively available at Target, complete with user-contributed artwork on both the bottle labels and the packaging.

4-pack Bottle Packaging – Other Side
Photo #10127 by Arlene Richards, Los Banos, CA
(Do these not look like snowman Marshmallow Peeps?)

It's a light pink, considerably less red than other holiday-inspired drinks of late, such as Pomegranate 7Up or Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash. There's still quite the minty smell present with this drink that hints at Listerine.

The flavor is the same as 2007, so not much has changed in 365 days since the last time this was available on the market.

Really cool shot of Christmas lights!
Photo #10155 by Cindi Miller Herleman, Aurora, CO

Is someone trying to kiss Santa?
Photo #10194 by Becky New, Hampstead, MD

A dog shot? C'mon!
Photo #10131 by Haidee Gerald, Ocean Springs, MS

It's minty in flavor, and if the smell wasn't so overpowering and medicinal, it might actually be decent. It's tolerable and novel, but not great.

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Jones Soda Mele Kalikimaka Soda
(Source: JonesSoda.com)

Perhaps this is tied to the fact that Jones laid off 40% of their workforce back in the fall and is basically hanging on for dear life these days. They made some strategic missteps in recent years and are now paying for it.

Jones Soda Pear Tree Soda
(Source: JonesSoda.com)

Thus, instead of their traditional odd-flavored collections like their Christmas Pack or Chanukah Pack, they have stuck with just three 4-Pack releases of flavors that don't taste horrid. The official note from Jones on this tried to put a positive spin on the decision, but it just smacks of cutbacks:

The Holiday Season is once again upon us and this year instead of our traditional Turkey and Gravy, we have created festive standalone sodas to be found exclusively in the Target stores nationwide.

(It should be noted that last year's Chanukah Pack is available online directly from Jones.)

Jones Soda Candy Cane Soda
(Source: JonesSoda.com)

The three 4-Pack flavors are:

• Candy Cane (Rerun from 2006, 2007)
• Pear Tree (New for 2008)
• Mele Kalikimaka (New for 2008)
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