Background information: (from the website): "Orca Beverage was created in the 1980s by owner Mike Bourgeois while he was studying a new and emerging class of beverages called the “New Age Beverage Category” at the Albers School of Business at Seattle University. This new and exciting extension of the larger Carbonated Soft Drink category was made up of products that were alternatives to the mainstream brands that dominated the industry."
Product details: 12 fl. oz. Orca Beverage Inc., Mukilteo, WA 98275, 425 349 5655. 170 calories, 43g sugar. Glass bottle with twist off top. http://www.orcabeverage.com
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Vanilla Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (a preservative).
My thoughts: I gotta say, I do like my butterscotch root beers and O-So is no exception. It all starts with a moderate rooty taste. There isn't a whole lot of complexity as far as the root beer flavor is concerned, seeming about average, if a bit thin. But the aftertaste, oh the aftertaste! That is a divine flavor! The butterscotch has just the right amount of kick to it, with a thick, strong flavor.
With such a strong aftertaste, I would have thought it would leave a syrupy coating in my mouth, but was pleasantly surprised that not only was it not too sugary, but that the flavor dissipated just enough, leaving behind just a hint of the buttery goodness. The carbonation is nice and strong, with a pleasing bite. Typically, having bite to the carbonation negatively impacts the smoothness, but the rich butterscotch flavor lent a feeling of creaminess to the drink.
I debated an overall score of "B+", but the initial flavor was just a bit too weak to justify the "+". As far as all the other attributes go, O-So is doing it right. If they would just kick up their initial root beer flavor a notch or two, then this would certainly be in grade A territory.
Rating: B
flavor: C
aftertaste: A
sweetness: B+
smoothness: B+
carbonation: A
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