In the beginning… was Coca Cola. From the soda fountain to the bottling plant, to New Coke and back to Classic and Cherry Coke and Diet Coke and Vanilla and Coke with Lime, the line expanded and branched out. So until we reach the logical conclusion and are able to buy a Jalapeño Coke or Double Bacon Cokeburger, we’ll have to settle for the Coca Cola’s company latest invention: behold the Coca Cola Blãk!

As the half-obscured label on the bottom proclaims, this is a Carbonated Fusion Beverage. What was Coca Cola fused with, you ask? Why, with its natural complement! What goes well with a high-caffeine drink? More caffeine! Yes, it’s true. Coca-Cola Blãk is half Coke, half Coffee, double the caffeine surge.

Personally, I tend to be unaffected by caffeine. Maybe it’s my body mass, maybe the metabolism, maybe just being used to it. But I’m guessing this can substitute for Mountain Dew or Red Bull in a pinch when it comes to alertness.

The flavor, however, was unexpected in the sense that it tastes like Coca Cola… and coffee. Yes, it’s that simple. Imagine mixing a glass of iced coffee (not the slush kind, the liquid kind) with a Coke and that’s what you have. It’s hard to describe the mix – it doesn’t have an aftertaste as much as it is the two flavors vying for conquest of your tastebuds, and after the melee there is only the faint bitter taste of vict^H^H^H^H coffee left in your mouth.

All in all, I didn’t like it very much. The flavors didn’t fuse particularly well. It was very interesting, though, and worth a shot for any soft-drink or coffee fan out for some adventure.