Pepsi Shiso

I then went with Carlos and Ate to the beverage aisle because my brother-in-law wanted to buy beer. He was looking at the different Japanese and international brands when a bright green bottle caught my attention. The label on it was written in Nippongo and the only words that I could discern were “Pepsi”, “Shiso” and “Japanese refreshing flavor”. I heard about weird flavors of familiar brands found only in Japan. Examples include Pepsi Ice Cucumber and Kit Kat Banana. So when I saw Pepsi Shiso, I knew I just had to try it.

Not knowing what Shiso was, I then relied on trusty Google. It turns out, shiso is a perilla variant. It is also called the purple mint or the Japanese basil. So with that in mind, I placed the green bottle inside the freezer and anticipated the chance of tasting something new.

How was it? Well, when you first take a sip, it initially tastes like mouthwash with a tinge of basil. It takes a little bit of getting used to but I could see why Japanese people consider it refreshing. And as you drink more of it, the taste turns into this minty bubble gum flavor reminiscent of Bubble Yum. Weird ba?