I have to say, they hit the licorice flavor on the head. The first few pulls of ice cold soda were actually pretty good, going down smoothly with a somewhat creamy texture I didn’t find in any of the other seasonal flavors. As it warmed to room temperature, however, it got harder and harder to drink. The flavor remained the same, but it just wasn’t as palatable. By the end of the glass, I was pretty much done with the flavor altogether.

Ultimately, the black licorice flavor is a mixed bag. Yes, it does taste somewhat like a genuine piece of black licorice, but unless it’s ice-freaking-cold, it’s pretty much unpalatable. As much as I wanted to like it – and I really, really wanted to like it – Black Cat Licorice comes in at just a few notches above Drop Dead Lemon in the Jones Soda Halloween flavor rankings.

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Dread Licorice also manages to taste a lot like a liquid Twizzler, albeit with a milder flavor. It’s there, but it kind of rolls around on the back of your tastebuds rather than filling your mouth with a cold, liquified piece of candy. As with most of Jones’ spooky flavors, it’s best to drink it fairly quickly while it’s freshly out of the fridge. As it warms, it does become a little too sugary and difficult to drink, though not nearly so much as some of the earlier flavors I’ve tried.

All in all, Dread Licorice isn’t bad. While I don’t exactly feel the need to stock my cooler with it on the Fourth of July, it’s another flavor that would easily have fans year round and would probably fit right in with the rest of Jones’ standard line of drinks.

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The first thing I was struck by was the slightly alcoholic odor that came popping from the soda’s bubbles. Not at all offputting, but unexpected. After a quick pull from my glass, the odor seemed to mellow somewhat as the soda rolled through my mouth. There’s only the slightest hint of an alcohol taste, which may steer some people clear of the soda, but it was so faint that after another swig or two, I could no longer discern it.

Overall, it’s a pretty tasty little drink, my expression in the final photo not withstanding. It definitely falls into the lemon-lime category, but with a taste that 7-up wishes it was half as crisp or clean as. As a rule, I credit the cane sugar recipe with the distinct lack of an aftertaste, but it’s more noticeably missing with the Monster Mojito than normal. Too bad Jones is only offering this as a seasonal Halloween drink, as I’d love to keep some in my fridge during the dog days of summer.

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The first reaction I had was “hey, this isn’t so bad,” but as I waited for the sourpuss effect to take hold, I realized that The Wife’sâ„¢ tolerance for sourness has diminished over the years. The hoped for blast of bitterness never really arrived, which left the entire experience somewhat lacking.

It’s not horrible, but after 6 or 7 slugs from the glass, the lemon drop flavor loses all appeal. As a bonus, the rest makes a lovely yellow fizz as it’s poured down the kitchen drain.

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