When Mountain Dew first launched in India, I was so excited. It was the new kid on the block that challenged the flavors of all the existing sodas in the market. To make things even more fun, the brand’s tagline translated from Hindi to English as “Beyond fear lies victory,” which instantly won me over.
Only after moving to the United States did I find out that Mountain Dew—which was started in Knoxville, Tennessee, by a pair of brothers in the 1940s—has a deep history and an expansive lineup of flavors. According to the SmithsonianMagazine, lemon-lime Mountain Dew was originally created as a whiskey chaser and named after the slang word for moonshine.
What I thought was a single, citrusy drink turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg. Code Red, Infinite Swirl, Cabo Citrus, Pitch Black? In the U.S., Mountain Dew isn’t just a soda but rather a flavor empire with names that are just as wild and imaginative as the drinks themselves.
Over the years, the brand has unleashed a wide array of Mountain Dew flavors. Some took off and became permanent, while others popped up for a limited time, keeping consumers on their toes.
Every summer, Mountain Dew fans wonder what new flavors the brand is going to roll out. From cult-classic Baja Blast to the now-retired Major Melon, each flavor has carved out its own corner in the Mountain Dew universe, with some becoming instant fan favorites and others disappearing just as quickly as they arrived.
To help you choose the next time you're standing at the cooler at the convenience store, I tracked down as many options as I could to find the best Mountain Dew flavor. After searching high and low (and putting in a special call to the folks at PepsiCo), I had 10 bottles for sipping and sorting. Read on to find out which ones live up to the hype and which ones I think you should leave on the shelf.
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Courtesy Namrata Hegde
How I Tested These Mountain Dew Flavors
I set out on this adventure by canvassing my New York neighborhood for any and all Mountain Dew flavors. My on-foot hunt happened during a heatwave, which made me even more invested in finding some cold drinks. I searched in corner bodegas and big and small supermarkets, then went online to see what other options I could buy with a click from my couch.
I still couldn't find all the flavors I was after, so I reached out to the folks at PepsiCo and they were generous enough to send me a few samples of their latest flavors to round out my lineup. I sampled the classics, the seasonal favorites and limited-edition flavors and ranked them from the ones I liked least to the ones I liked most. To help me keep everything straight, I created a spreadsheet (my type A personality craves organization), where I rated each flavor based on its taste, smell and aftertaste. At the end of the tasting, the winner was very clear. Read on for all the sweet, bubbly details.
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10 Popular Mountain Dew Flavors, Ranked Worst to Best
10. Mountain Dew Voltage
Pepsi Co
As soon as I opened this bottle, I got a whiff of blue raspberry, but that didn’t translate into flavor, in my opinion. Instead of the tangy punch I was anticipating, I found the taste was quite watered down. I expected the blue raspberry element to be the star, but it was surprisingly subtle. The flavor leaned more heavily on the sweetness rather than the tartness, which landed this pretty bottle at the bottom of the list.
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9. Mountain Dew Code Red
Pepsi Co
Code Red is one of the more popular Mountain Dew flavors, so I had high hopes for this one. This was another flavor where the aroma didn't match the flavor. When I took a sniff, I expected cherry flavor combined with classic citrusy Mountain Dew. I thought I would get a punch of cherry, but instead I found the taste to be quite muted. I thought this option was one-note and overly sweet (I know it's soda, but still...). I liked it a bit more than Voltage, but it wasn't one of my favorites.
8. Mountain Dew Summer Freeze
Pepsi Co
Mountain Dew Summer Freeze reminded me of walking into an Italian ice shop. It’s supposed to evoke the flavors of the iconic red, white and blue popsicles and as soon as I opened the bottle, I was hit with the classic cherry and blue raspberry scent. I found the flavor to be too intense, almost like an overly sweet melted popsicle and the color was too artificial for me. It was a bit too much on both the visual and taste fronts for my experience, so this flavor landed near the bottom of the pack.
7. Mountain Dew Zero Summer Freeze
Star Market
The Mountain Dew Zero Summer Freeze was a little less intense than the regular flavor. I didn't find this version as sweet, but I did notice the taste of the artificial sweeteners. The notes of cherry and blue raspberry were still present, but without feeling like a full-bodied burst of sugar, so I ranked this one a notch higher than the classic Summer Freeze.
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6. Mountain Dew Baja Blast
Pepsi Co
I came in with high expectations for Mountain Dew Baja Blast. Many people I know are big fans of this iconic drink, thanks to its long-standing connection with Taco Bell. I don't have the same nostalgic connection to the flavor, so it was interesting to give it a taste to see what all the hype is about. To me, it tasted like Mountain Dew mixed with cream soda. It had the creamy, vanilla and lime flavors, sort of like the Mountain Dew version of a creamsicle. While that might sound appealing to some, I found it to be a little too sweet for my taste.
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5. Mountain Dew Infinite Swirl
Pepsi Co
This flavor is back on the shelves by popular demand this summer after debuting in June 2024. I found the flavor of Mountain Dew Summer Freeze to be quite unique and unlike anything I have tasted before. It has a turquoise color that's supposed to represent the mixture of pineapple and strawberry. I appreciated that it’s not overpowering in taste and has the perfect combination of pineapple and berry flavors. It’s not as bold or in-your-face as some other Dew flavors. This didn’t top my list because I'm not a huge fan of pineapple, but if you are I suspect you'll think this flavor is a tropical dream.
4. Diet Mountain Dew
Pepsi Co
While I'm not the biggest fan of drinks with artificial sweeteners, this flavor is a great alternative to classic Mountain Dew for those looking for a drink with less sugar. It still delivers that citrusy kick that Mountain Dew is known for, but has a slightly lighter body. I did notice a bit of an off-putting aftertaste, but it does a good job of staying true to the original flavor.
3. Mountain Dew Baja Cabo Citrus
Pepsi Co
I found the Mountain Dew Baja Cabo Citrus to be intensely orange, just as the label and color would suggest. I'm a fan of orange flavor, so this was one of my favorites. It tastes slightly syrupy with a tropical citrus punch, which I enjoyed. If Kenan and Kel were still on, they’d definitely feature this flavor. If you wanted to lighten this one up a bit, I think it would be tasty mixed with some plain seltzer to cut the sweetness a bit. It could also be a fun flavor to play around with as a mixer for sparkling wine, if you're in the mood for a new- fangled Mimosa.
2. Mountain Dew Dragon Fruit
Pepsi Co
The Mountain Dew Dragon Fruit is an exclusive Walmart flavor that was only recently launched, so it might take a little nosing around to find it near you. I’m happy to report that it's worth searching out. It has a strawberry-like, fruity smell that makes me want to book a tropical vacation. I think this would be great to sip on in a cocktail by the beach. It initially starts off tasting a bit like strawberry, but the kiwi-like notes of the dragon fruit start trickling in after that. It’s not overpowering in the least and has a smooth, mellow finish.
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1. Mountain Dew Original
Pepsi Co
I know this will sound very basic, but the original Mountain Dew was hands-down my favorite flavor of all. It has set a high bar for me and I’m glad I went through this journey of trying all these flavors to prove to myself that the original flavor is truly one that is uncontested, in my opinion. It evokes nostalgia for me, although in a high fructose corn syrup version (because HFCS isn't used in India, most sodas are made with cane sugar).
The lemon-lime flavor is unlike any other brand. I can taste the original, blindfolded in a lineup. It has the perfect, citrusy smell and tastes just like it smells. If you're a fan of sweet and tangy, this one is for you!
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