Inca Kola -- The Taste of Peru

As stated in Wikipedia, Inca Kola (also known as "the Golden Kola" in international advertising) is a soft drink that was created in Peru in 1935, by British immigrant José Robinson Lindley using lemon verbena (verbena de Indias or cedrón in Spanish). The soda has an unusual sweet fruity flavor that resembles a little of its main ingredient, lemon verbena, locally known as Hierba Luisa. Americans compare its flavor to bubblegum or cream soda. It has been described as "an acquired taste" whose "intense color alone is enough to drive away the uninitiated."

I had the pleasure of trying this soda for the first time when I visited my friends in Georgia while at the World of Coca-Cola. During conversations with people, when the topic of soda comes up, I always mention how much I like Inca Kola. Well, today, a colleague of mine surprised me with a chilled can of the luscious beverage that he had found in the clearance aisle at a local supermarket.

I normally shy away from sugared drinks, but I figured since I'm going to swim practice tonight, I could treat myself with my favorite soft drink. It didn't disappoint. It smells a bit like bubblegum, but has a flavor very close to that of cream soda, but in my opinion, it's much better. And, the color -- it is a vibrant yellow, as you will see in the second photograph.

My can of Inca Kola. Yummy stuff! 

The real deal from Peru.