Two Rooks Premium Cola product reviews

I'm not a huge drinker of fizzy drink, but when I do it's normally a Cola. I don't drink coffee and my beverage of choice is plain Green Tea so when I need a pick me up, which normally hits when I'm at work mid afternoon, I reach for a cola. It must be the caffeine in cola that gives me a boost and I'm always keen to try different brands to see what is on the market. So Firstly, let me say these Two Rook cola cans are sexy! The artwork is eye-catching, mysterious looking and actually wills me to open a can to see what's inside.

When I did open the can, I was impressed by the loud cracking fizz sound and I decided to pour some into a glass so I could check out the colour of the drink and I was pleased it was a rich dark brown colour which I'd come to expect from good quality cola drinks. The initial taste was very sweet, I swished it round my mouth to savour the taste and I decided I liked it, I swallowed the cola and I was immediately struck by its vanishing after-taste, which I was amazed by since it was sweet while in mouth as sweet things usually linger for some time.

I love the size of the can, given the choice I would always buy this size in a can as I tend to not finish the bigger ones, and if these cans were at the local supermarket I think I would buy them however I would love to try a zero or diet flavour. Two Rooks is a good option for the discerning cola drinker and upon checking the ingredients list, it did not seem to include some of the nasty additives that other colas on the market do, however it was a pretty generalised list so I couldn't be sure. The price will turn a few people off, but I am confident given the chance to try the cola they would buy it again.

This drink really set's the bar high when comparing other branded cola drinks. The first thing to take note of is the visual aspect of the can which is sleek and elegant using a pure black backing and the distinguishing two golden rooks. To me its a more serious and sophisticated look than that of its competitors which shows it means business.This is a great way to identify the brand and would stand out extremely easy in the supermarket or shop.

I lift back the tab, crack open the mouth piece and take a swig of the cold cola liquid. It has that profound cola taste which is a little too sweet for my liking but is refreshing and very tasty. The biggest positive for this is although the drink is very sweet the sweetness itself doesn't seem to linger and disappears rather fast. Because of its smooth carbonation process the drink itself is less bubbly than similar brands and allows for the taste to be savored much easier.

My biggest gripe with these is that 250ml is never enough. Which means for me I have to have two minimum due to at this stage it only being sold in 250ml cans and being that these sell roughly for $3.50 a can that is an extremely pricey serving for me. I like how Two Rook's cola tastes but at that price I am likely to only purchase it sparingly as a treat from time to time.

To summarize Two Rook's cola is a refreshing cola that tastes great and stands out against the other known brands but is a bit overpriced and to come into a market that is already dominated by global companies is a very bold move. With a price adjustment I would purchase Two Rook's cola over the other's easily.

I was lucky enough to get the chance to review the 'Two Rooks Premium Cola'. Now I must admit, I am an avid coke brand drinker and don't tend to try other brands at all. However I was game to give this a try and was hugely surprised.

As soon as I received the cans I popped them straight into the freezer to chill and after a couple of hours I grabbed them out. I love the slim line design of this can as it fits conveniently into your hand. I also like the sizing of the can as I am one who will grab a normal sized can (355mls) and only be able to drink just over half and end up wasting the rest. The 250ml size of this can were just perfect for me and I was easily able to finish the lot. I found the colouring of the cans to be nice and aesthetically pleasing and how the two rooks stand out nice and bright. I think this would make the cans stand out from other brands on the shelf in a supermarket and that you would be easily able to establish what the brand is simply by looking at the picture.

I found once I opened the can it let out a decent fizz noise. I was a bit hesitant as to how fizzy this meant the cola would be. To my surprise it was fizzy but not over powering at all. I was worried also about how sweet this drink would be, but again, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes it was sweet but it was a really subtle sweetness to it. I must admit that I think I may have found a new found drink for the summer.

All in all I thought this was a nice subtle cola drink and it would be something I would happily drink again. The only downfall for me would be the price. I am unsure if I would pay $14.99 for a 6 pack regularly but if it was on special I would definitely think about it. I guess the higher price is due to it being a premium drink and for special occasions I may not hesitate on buying it at full price.

Until recently I have been quite a cola drinker, in fact I often drank a little too much in regards to cola and fizzy drink products. Being someone who doesn't like coffee and not very fond of tea, having a diet soda or four over a day wasn't uncommon for me. I am also not a big alcoholic beverage drinker so when out with friends having drinks a diet coke would be my go to (more so because most places don't sell any other diet drinks). A month ago I made some major changes to my drinking (and eating) habits and cut diet and full sugar sodas out of my diet. After being successful at this for a month I received my review parcel with two cans of Two Rooks Cola in it. I decided that this was a good time to enjoy one, as I would like to be able to have one or two here and there because other than water, there isn't a lot else that I drink!

My husband was first to try his can. Sitting here one Friday night he decided he would like to try it. Going to the fridge he took out his can and proceeded to open it. What a lovely, crisp fizzy sound we were met with. Such a lovely sound, although sometimes it can mean that some of the fizz gets lost so I was wondering just how fizzy it was. When I decided to have mine I poured it into a glass to be able to have a better look at it and my concerns about fizziness were soon gone as it had a lovely bubble to it.

As the smell made its way to my nose I could smell a beautifully sweet smell, and the unmistakable smell of cola. It has been a long time since I have had a full sugar cola product as I always pick diet. Because of this I now prefer the flavour of diet cola's over full sugar ones. This certainly wasn't the case with this cola though. As I took my first sip I was surprised at the perfect level of carbonation. It had a slight fizz to it, but not too much that it made you burp straight away (which can happen when you aren't used to drinking bubbly drinks anymore!). The taste is really nice. You can tell it is a premium product. It is also very smooth and would be the perfect cola to mix with bourbon (my drink of choice if I do decide to have an alcoholic beverage).

Unfortunately for me there are no stockists in Dunedin, or anywhere in the South Island for that matter (looking on the Two Rooks website) however it is good to see that you can buy them online which means I can get my hands on them again if I choose to. Hopefully as the product becomes more well known it may find its way down here as I will often only buy a can of drink when on my way out to visit friends, and of course online shopping isn't instant!

I grew up drinking Coca Cola, even sneaking a sip or two from the bottle when I wasn't actually allowed any... Since then my tastebuds have been hooked on Coke and then Coke Zero but every now and then I will try a different brand to see if I could find something new to drink and enjoy. My kids first comment when they saw the can was 'that doesn't look like Coke', one of the problems with only buying one brand predominately, as I can't afford to buy them each a bottle or can of others Colas to share.

This works out to be about $3.70 per can, which compared to the typical Coke, is very expensive (after all you could get a 2.25 litre bottle for the same price) but when out having a meal somewhere, this is a reasonable price (assuming they charge that much). When it comes to taste, I found it rather similar to Charlie's and their Cola drink, which I have enjoyed though not enough to buy again. This brand, however, was enjoyed more by myself. I split the second can between my children to mixed reviews, all three still preferring the usual Coke that we buy but also saying that they'd like to have this one again, so I take that as a win.

This was a nice drink, a tad on the costly side, but as a treat when out and about, yes please.

It has to be a good thing when your husband is doing the wet paper towel wrapped around the can in the freezer trick! He truly couldn't wait for the cans to cool down to give this one a try and to be honest I was really curious to see how this one would stack up as well.

So fast forward an hour because hubby's paper towel trick worked a charm! We were impressed, very impressed! I think the thing with most cola drinks is that they're so sugary and fake and most of the time the can size or bottle is much too large but this isn't the case with Two Rooks Cola. It is in every way a premium Cola. From the well designed can, to the authentic cola taste we would definitely put this one in 1st equal with our favourite Royal Crown Cola.You can easily make this one adults only as well if you team it up with some Rum. It had me dreaming of a hot summer's evening to put it to the test!

Overall take the risk, it may seem pricey and we won't be buying it on a regular basis but when we're looking for that special treat, or the wow beverage to take to a summer BBQ we'll be choosing Two Rooks Cola!

Ever since I received my review package my husband has been asking can we drink the Two Rooks Cola tonight and every night I have said no for various reasons, the main one being I find coke usually keeps me awake at night or I end up waking up through the night and not being able to go back to sleep but as I have had a great day and I am not feeling tired, I thought this is the perfect night for it.

I went to the fridge and for some reason was looking for a red can and then I stumbled across a black can and thought what is this. I must of been have a blonde moment as it took me a second to realise what it was. To be honest I have never heard of Two Rooks and looking at it I would of thought it was some type of alcoholic drink. I actually really like the can as it does look rather sophisticated.

My husband opened his straight away and took a sip and said 'it didn't have that after taste coke usually does and he really enjoyed it'. I took a sip of mine and was surprised at how smooth it was going down and how it doesn't coat your mouth like coke usually does. I poured the rest into a class and was relived when I saw the bubbles and fizz in it as I found it doesn't taste as fizzy as coke and I found I wasn't left burping after each mouthful. I could still hear the bubbles popping around the edge of my class and when my daughter saw it she said 'that's coke mum you don't usually drink coke' I told her it was a different variety and she asked if I enjoyed it, after thinking about it I actually do.

I find my husband can become very addicted to coke and every now and again he weans himself off it and ends up in a foul mood for a week or so, so I have been looking for a substitute for him. We brought a soda stream but he doesn't rate the coke flavour so I have been looking for a new brand for him. Although at $2.50 a class it would definitely add up after a while. I found I could only drink half a class and he ended up finishing mine which he was over the moon about. It is nice but not something I could see myself having a lot of but my husband eagerly has his hand up for more.

I do like Cola but am always wary of trying new brands that promise great things and then usually under deliver. So, I was excited to try Two Rooks 'Premium Cola'. It comes in a 250 ml slim black can with 2 golden Rooks and the words "TWO ROOKS" on the side for clarification! To be honest, if it wasn't for the fact that it had 'Cola' written on the can, I would have thought it was an energy drink or an alcoholic RTD!

I first tried this drink straight out of the can and have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Hubby was standing next to me and asked to try some and the fact I had to grab the can back off him told me that he enjoyed it too! It didn't taste as carbonated as other cola drinks and was very smooth. As hubby noted, it didn't coat our teeth like others and wasn't as syrupy. The second can we shared in two glasses, my hubby wasn't going to let me drink this by myself! There were minimum bubbles but it was sufficiently fizzy enough which also meant less burpies! I thought it had a subtle taste of caramel and was very enjoyable to drink. Hubby and I both agreed that this was far better than the other major brands and a much better tasting drink.

Two Rooks have definitely delivered on their promise of a premium coke. The price reflects this but if you are looking for quality over quantity then this is 100% worth the extra money. Loved it!

I am a lifetime cola addict. OK, I admit it - I have tried pretty well every brand on the market so was intrigued to find this new product, clearly aimed at adults. I am one of those people who leads a pretty hectic social life but rarely drinks alcohol when out because of the long drive home afterwards - I cannot afford to be without my car as I live in the country and need it for work, so I prefer to stick to non-alcoholic drinks and save the hard stuff for when I am at home. So I can see this is a sophisticated alternative that I would certainly consider buying when out with friends.

The price tag is a little steep for everyday use, but as a special occasion drink it would be no more expensive than any other off-the-shelf drink, so I would happily pay for it in a pub or restaurant setting. As a bonus, it has a smooth, slick taste so is less likely to cause hiccups than the highly carbonated and cheaper alternatives.

I tried it three ways. Having two cans meant I could pour three decent sized drinks and carry out a proper taste trial. The first time, I drank it neat - the weather was so cold that I did not add ice, but that was probably for the best as it meant I was not diluting the product. It was very nice, without the citrus acidity you get with some colas and with minimal fizz which I actually prefer - the taste is fuller without the distraction of the bubbles.

The second time I took it kid style by making an ice-cream soda with caramel ice-cream and the cola poured over till it bubbled. This is another favourite drink - it is a good thing to have as a dessert on a hot day. Given that it is the middle of winter, it was probably not the best time of year to try it, but the heater was on and I really did not notice the chill of the ice-cream. And the slight caramel taste of the cola was a perfect match for the caramel ice-cream.

The third and last drink was as a cuba libre - and here it really came into its own. White rum has a very delicate flavour so ordinary cola tends to clash with it. I actually prefer black rum or whisky with a supermarket cola. But this brew is tailor made for mixing with white rum because it is so smooth and the flavours mingle beautifully. So if I AM going to have it as a mixer, then this would be my preferred option.

Will I buy it again? Yes, for a special treat or when out as an alternative to alcohol. And when I next have an ice-cream soda because it is super served that way.

At home we always have a type of Cola present in our fridge, so I was interested in the idea of trying out this particular cola to see how it compared. First thing I thought of upon seeing the can was that it looked as though it was a slim line alcoholic beverage can, however it is not it is simply cola, though seeing as it is only available for purchase at your local cafe or bar did kind of make sense as to why it was perhaps intended to look like this, i'd say it would be a great selling point for those who don't drink alcohol.

The can itself looked sharp and sophisticated I really liked the look of the black can and found that the lettering was very effective against it in gold and white, I loved that it simply stated the name of the product and it's contents, rather than being overloaded with pictures and a heap of writing, because let's face it you don't buy a drink to read all about it! I also loved the slimline can I can't help but prefer this shape and size to the more traditional can size.

Taste wise this was pretty good it had a similar taste to my usual cola drink, but it was a lot smoother and more mellow than what i'm used to and I actually liked the fact it wasn't as fizzy, it had just the right amount of fizz to it, as I took more sips of the drink I found it actually had a slight taste of cinnamon and caramel which I found interesting. Since I was lucky enough to receive not 1, but 2 cans of Two Rooks to sample I decided to drink one and use the other in some baking. My secret go to chocolate cake recipe calls for a can of cola and so this was perfect for this reason, I made the recipe as per usual and added in the cola in replace of my usual, I noticed it didn't cause such a chemical reaction as I poured it in so was hoping it would still cook the same, luckily it did. The result light, fluffy chocolate cupcakes with a slight cola taste to them topped off with a chocolate buttercream frosting and decorated with a Awesome Naturals cola bottle these looked and tasted great.

This would be a drink I would buy if out in a cafe or at a bar when there is an assortment of fancy looking drinks to buy, this would certainly look the part.

A cola is a difficult thing to review. There are really limited things to comment on; packaging, price, flavour (carbonation & acidity). As far as packaging goes, but is very pleasing to the eye. Simply black can with very easy to read text. The logo for two rooks is very easy to identify (two rooks, which for those not in the know is the name for what was formerly known as the towers). interestingly the design almost makes it look like an alcoholic RTD, which adds a layer of maturity to its appeal, as if it is marketed directly at adults, and not kids. The slim line can is also reminiscent of alcoholic beverages (i.e. Codys) and gives the visual impression of a healthier beverage (slim vs fat cans, often used in marketing to catch the eye of the female demographics).

With regards to flavour, Two Rooks Cola is a much smoother and mellow. This comes down a lot to the level of carbonation which is lower than that of competition brands such as Pepsi or Coca Cola. The lower carbonation means that you get more flavour, as the bubbles will generally prevent a lot of the beverage from reaching your tongue. Less bubbles equals more access to the taste buds, and also has the flow on effect of have a reduced acidity. Less acidity mean I won't get the same burn that I get when I have too many rum and cokes. The smoothness of the beverage makes it very enjoyable to drink. For a large male like myself, the only real issue is that the slim can only holds 250ml, so I end up drinking two to quench my thirst, and that's when it starts getting really expensive.

At $15 for a 6-pack, that averages out to $2.50 each. Which is about average for vending machine drinks, but on the high side when compared to what is available in the supermarket. Does that extra smoothness and lower acidity make up for the price? To be honest, the price makes it a "sometimes" product; a drink I'll have occasionally (maybe often), rather than my preferred "go-to" option. It is a nice drink and I will certainly drink it in the future, but in my current financial situation, I'll be going for money savings over quality this time around.

When it comes to colas, there are two major players that need not be named outright, and between them they have pretty much carved the planet up between them and built a wall, with a few cracks filled by the smaller players. Some of those produce colas that are little more than muddy water, while others are finely crafted beverages with a lot going for them, but not much exposure... as with all big walls, very little light shines into the cracks.

Now, the major players have 2 things going for them... long track records, and a heap-tonne of money to spend on marketing. That's really about it, because their beverages have so much utter crap in them, it's hard to tell if it was made in a vat, or a really big laboratory beaker. So the little players who come up with really good, almost-entirely natural, healthier versions of cola have a struggle, but a superior product if you take out the addictive aspects of the major players... and that's an observation from someone who spent nearly 30 years *actually addicted* to one of the major players' beverage.

Now here we have a really neat, natural cola designed and marketed by a Kiwi company based in the industrial sector of Hamilton. While the drink is actually produced in Thailand, it's still a Kiwi product because the brains and money behind it are right here in Godzone. But how does the drink stack up?

Surprisingly well actually. It could be said that a "top shelf" cola is one that has a premium quality, premium taste at a premium price... and this certainly fits that bill. Is it as cheap as the stuff brewed by the megalitre? Not even close... you could buy at least 1.5 litres of the big brand ones for the same cost as a single 250ml can of this. Does it have the rich combination of flavours as the big players? Nope, it's simple, clean and light. Does it have that jangle-your-throat fizziness of the major brands? Nope, it's quiet, smooth and mellow.

So, why is it a premium cola? To be honest, I can't be entirely sure. When compared with the major brands, it's about on par on most of the ingredient metrics, but it also ranks higher in some of them. More "energy" mostly in the form of sugar, quite a bit of sodium, and of course it still has caffeine. What I can say though is that taking a drink of 'regular' cola, and then a drink of Two Rooks... the Two Rooks cola was far more pleasant to drink because of the lower levels of carbonation and acidic aftertaste.

I was tempted to see how it stacked up to a recipe I used to make many years ago... Slow-cooker Pulled Pork. Back then I had to use a casserole dish in the oven on a very low heat, but I made it once after I got my slow-cooker so used that as my benchmark. It uses a full litre of cola usually, but I made a quarter-batch for the sake of this review. I have to say, it turned out better than when I make it using the regular big-brand cola. I couldn't tell you why, all I know is that I liked this latest batch way more than I usually do, and regret deeply drinking the first can, wishing I had instead gone with my original plan to use both cans in a half-batch of this.

Overall, would I buy it again? Not too sure actually. It's a nice cola, it tastes good as a drink, great in the pulled pork... but the price-tag does make it more of a treat than a staple. However, if I was out at a pub or cafe and had the choice, I would probably treat myself to a Bourbon and Cola using this, for sure.