Welcome back, everyone. It’s time for another Dew Review. In this review, I’m once more going international. This time, heading to Russia. But it’s not some exotic flavor I’m trying, it’s their version of Original Recipe Dew. Why? Because here in the US, I know that “regional variations” are definitely a thing. Personally, I’ve noticed it the most in Coca-Cola. The Coke I get here in Atlanta is definitely different than what I get in St. Louis. And the Coke out of the tap at a Waffle House is unlike any other Coke anywhere. That, despite it just being called Coca-Cola everywhere. Well, these Dews come from much further away than just St. Louis. Do the regions tweak the recipe to suit local tastes? I’m here to see if I can tell a difference, anyway. I’m starting out with a Mountain Dew from Russia.
First off, it’s an interesting bottle. Kinda reminds me of the “Potato Masher” grenades from WWII. It’s also very definitely more neon green than a regular Mountain Dew bottle (BTW: I have a regular, American, Original Recipe Dew to compare this with here with me). But does the color outside the bottle match the color of the soda inside? Let’s get to the pour.
Hmm, well, it looks like Original Recipe Dew. Let’s get a side-by-side.
Hmm, yup. That’s the same color inside the bottle, even if they’re different outside (comment about “we’re all human” goes here). But how about other senses?
Well, the American Dew smells maybe a touch stronger. But I’m willing to chalk that up to probably being a bit fresher, since I got it at Kroger a little over a week ago and who knows how long the Russian Dew has been kicking around. And it’s a very faint difference, too. It’s not like the Russian Dew smells like nothing and the American is a kick in the nostrils.
And the big thing: taste. … … Yeah, that’s the same. I will say that I had the Russian Dew first and thought, “Ok, does this taste the same as American?” Had a few more swigs and was like, “yes, it definitely does.” That’s when I had a bit of the American and yeah, I feel I’m pretty justified in saying, “that’s the same flavor.”
What does this say? It says that if I walk into a convenience store in downtown Moscow, I can grab a Dew off the shelf and get a small taste of home. That’s kinda nice, even if a bit anti-climactic (I mean, how interesting would it be if I was like, “It tastes like beets, potatoes, and onions!!”?).
If you’re in Russia, you can just pick one of these up for yourself. If you’re in the US and want to double-check my taste buds, I got my Russian Dew from Desert Drinks here: https://desert-drinks.com/products/mountain-dew-russia
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