Do you know what the baobab in Pepsi Baobab is?
If you do, congratulations and I suggest you keep that nugget of knowledge in your head if you ever end up in the Cash Cab, get a call from one of your friends in the Cash Cab, get hailed by a complete stranger who is in the Cash Cab or if you want people to think you’re a pretentious douche.
For those of you who don’t know what a baobab is, let me be a pretentious douche and tell you it’s a tree that’s native to Madagascar, Australia and Africa. It’s also known as the bottle tree, upside-down tree and monkey bread tree. In Africa, it’s common to eat the baobab’s fruits and leaves, but that’s not the case in other countries.
And oh yeah…DUH!
If you’re a regular reader of The Impulsive Buy, you know I have a thing for redheads and limited edition Pepsi products from Japan. Over the past few years, I’ve subjected myself to whatever the flavorologists at Pepsi Japan have come up with to dare their fellow Japanese citizens to drink. In 2007, it was Pepsi Ice Cucumber. In 2008, it was Pepsi Blue Hawaii. Last year, it was Pepsi Shiso. This year, it’s Pepsi Baobab.
Now I don’t know what baobab tastes like because I’m not able to buy-o a bag-o of baobab from my local African shaman or Whole Foods. However, if actual baobab tastes like Pepsi Baobab, then I may just have to make it worth my African shaman’s while to get me some.
The beverage has a pleasant and light citrus scent. Its flavor is also light, starting off with orange and then followed with a grapefruit-ish back end. It was surprisingly refreshing. However, by the time I reached halfway through the bottle it started to become a little chemical tasting. It’s like I’m sucking on the fingers of a French maid, not the role play kind one would pay an extra $200 to get, I’m talking an actual rubber glove-wearing French maid who has been cleaning the kitchen counter with a citrus scented cleaner. I think this is because the warmer it gets, the less tasty it becomes.
Of the four limited edition Japanese Pepsi flavors I’ve tried, I have to say that Pepsi Baobab is my favorite, but not by much. Its citrus flavor makes it taste a lot more normal than the others, but the chemical taste I experienced makes it a little unsavory. Another item that bothers me is the fact that it’s marketed as a cola, but I couldn’t detect any cola flavor. I wish next year they introduce a limited edition Pepsi with a little cola flavor, and I hope it’s called Pepsi Octopus and it’s black and ink flavored.
(Nutrition Facts – 100 ml – 42 kcal, 0 grams of protein, 0 grams of fat, 15 milligrams of sodium and 10.5 grams of carbohydrates.)
Here are other Pepsi Baobab reviews:
Japanese Snack Reviews
Mike’s Blender
SarahJoyAlbrecht.com
(NOTE: I’d like to thank Reid for picking up a few bottles of Pepsi Baobab for me during his visit to Japan (along with a variety of KitKats). I’d also like to thank Meredith for taking the time to mail me a couple of bottle of Pepsi Baobab from Japan.)
Item: Pepsi Baobab
Price: FREE
Size: 500 ml
Purchased at: From a convenience store in Japan
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Nice light citrus scent. Surprisingly refreshing citrus flavor. Fat free. Paying an extra $200 to get a French Maid. Cool people willing to pick up things from foreign countries to send/give to you. Having access to an African shaman. Cash Cab.
Cons: Only available in Japan (and if you’re willing to pay crazy shipping fees — eBay). It has a slightly unpalatable chemical flavor when it gets a little warm. No cola flavor. Sucking on the rubber glove-covered hands of a French maid. Being a pretentious douche.
i like how they have a giraffe, some asian characters, sunrise/ sunset — perfect for every demographic that doesn’t know what the fuck they want.
looks like urine, bring back pepsi clear.
Yeah it really does like urine. Maybe some peed in the bottle before they shipped it to you and that is what baobab is ha ha
i think yr right, but i think baobab is the name of the guy who’s urine it is.
I wonder how much a topless French maid would set me back. Probably less than my car has recently.
I see we are in accord about this being the best of the lot!
I can say that I didn’t drink too much at once (about 1/4 of the bottle at a time), so I never got the chemical taste you did, but I’m not surprised that that happened. Somehow, I doubt that there is any real baobab in it. It’s probably all chemically created. 😉
Thanks for the link!
I think Pepsi has taken the smart road and chosen to indoctrinate the world with their goodness, rather than waste 9x the cash trying to win over the U.S. Coke is just too ingrained in people’s brains to really change current thoughts. Having the rest of the world on their side might help.
Granted, Soccer tried the same strategy and has thus far failed.
Baobab??? That does look pretty gross.
You know Marvo, I think I’ve been reading this blog for like 4 years and I don’t think I’ve ever commented. So, long time reader, first time commenter. Sorry about that. I’ll try to speak up from now on.
Anyway, thanks for all the enjoyment your site has given me over the years and keep up the “ew” that you are so famous for.
“Pepsi Octopus” …. there’s a nice sound to that.
@YR MOMZ: If I drink a lot of water my urine looks clear, so Crystal Pepsi could also look like urine.
@amanda: If someone did, I hope I got the nutrients urine is supposed to provide.
@Chuck: I think it depends how long you have her around and what you made her clean.
@Orchid64: I have a theory that because almost everyone in Japan doesn’t know what African baobab tastes like, Pepsi Japan could create whatever flavor they want and call it baobab, and no one would know.
@Sir Struggle: Don’t you mean non-American football? 🙂
@TheWarden: You’re welcome.
@RONW: I have a gut feeling they’ll introduce it within 5 years. I know of restaurants that sell octopus ink flavored products on their menu. If they don’t, I guess I’ll have to make my own. Thank goodness we live on an island surrounded by water and octopus.
“buy-o a bag-o of baobab”
….AHAHAHAH!
How’d you get it for free?
@Michelle: A reader who’s in Japan for a few months asked if I wanted to try it so she mailed a couple of bottle to me. I reimbursed her for them. I also received bottles from one of my favorite local food bloggers, who visited Japan. I offered to reimburse him, but he was super kind enough to decline.
Thanks for the mention!! 😀
I’m still enjoying this flavor, and drinking it while it’s still available, but I’m with you — it’s really crisp, citrus, light and refreshing………..until it gets warm.
Excellent observation.
I think many beverages are like this though, though, don’t you? Flavor isn’t as great if it’s warm. There are many horrible things I’d rather drink cold – like that nasty glucose test stuff given to pregnant women to check for gestational diabetes – than drink a warm beer 😉
Love from Japan,
SJA
@Sarah Joy Albrecht: No problem!
I am so tickled to see my name in a review! And especially a review that mentions the Cash Cab. I go to NYC once or twice a year, and I try to hail only minivan cabs, so I have a marginally increased chance of getting the Cash Cab. Because I am a nerd like that. (No, really. Last week my team won the Deaf College Bowl contest. I am a nerd exactly like that.)
Anyway, glad you were able to enjoy the Pepsi Baobab I sent! (Or are my bottles the ones going out to the prize winners?) At any rate, someday the TIB community needs to pool together and buy you some Pepsi Azuki…
@Meredith: All your years of reading have finally paid off. Although, I’m pretty sure your name came up in previous reviews, like Fruity Cheerios, which you suggested I review. Unless you’re a different Meredith. If you do end up in the Cash Cab, promise me you won’t go for the double or nothing video question at the end of the ride, unless you’re 100% sure of the correct answer. Thanks again for sending the bottle of Pepsi Baobab. I drank two bottles of it, one from you and one from Reid. And I still have one more left.
Just an FYI, Madagascar is part of Africa….