So I've been trying for the longest time to get a gummy, chewy cola bottle flavour without success. Ideally I'd want the sugar stuck on the cola bottle effect, but even the basic profile is hard to achieve. My first 2/3 recipes were variations on FA Cola and TFA Gummy Candy, and percentages aside, the cola was there, the gummy candy was there, but it was so empty. The flavour was there, but the feel in the mouth was like nothing, it was so unsatisfying.

Bring on the Inawera Cactus. I tried this at 4% standalone to get an idea of what it was like and at 4%, it wasn't great. Way too strong and reminded me of these awful jelly fruit sweets in the shape of real fruits that my granny used to give me that didn't taste of fruit, just stale jelly. It had a really chunky, thick feel, like a jelly sweet that doesn't resist being chewed, more a jelly that your teeth sink right through. Taste wise, a lot like aloe vera handwash. Very fresh (less so than cucumber), but not really tasty.

I mixed 50/50 Ina cactus and tfa gummy candy/fa cola and holy shit, that's it - that's the jelly taste it was missing. It tastes thick and full and like a jelly cola bottle. Cactus standalone was neither pleasant nor unpleasant, but as an additive it's amazing. I'm excited for other recipes I can elbow it into.

Cola Bottes:

FA Cola - 2.5% TFA Gummy Candy - 5% Ina Cactus - 1.5%

Hope you like it :)