Ranking Every Arizona Tea Flavor From Worst To Best
If you frequent 7-Eleven convenience stores or adamantly stop for snacks during a road trip, then there's a good chance you've seen a can (or several) of AriZona tea sitting pretty on a refrigerator shelf. AriZona teas are known for two distinct reasons. One, they come in massive servings — a whole 23-ounce tallboy, to be exact, and if that's not enough to quench your thirst, then we really don't know what is. The second reason for AriZona's popularity is the fact that its cans only cost 99 cents, considerably a steal given how much liquid you get in one go.
Any true AriZona tea fan knows that flavors have come and gone since the brand's conception in 1992, though there are still plenty of cult classics and fresh new flavors to get behind decades later. We've compiled a list of the most popular AriZona tea flavors, ranking them from worst to best in a race that was, at times, pretty darn tight. There are a few factors that go into this ranking, including sweetness, the potency of the flavor, and authenticity — as in, if it's marketed as a green tea, does it actually taste like green tea, or does it taste like a watered-down mess? Our taste buds have done the work, so the next time you find yourself perusing the aisles of your favorite convenience store, you'll know exactly which can to reach for.
13. RX Energy Herbal Tonic
Kicking off our list and coming in dead last is the Rx Energy Herbal Tonic. Right off the bat, there's something incredibly unappealing about the color of this tea. Sure, we get what AriZona is going for here, with the vibrant yellow hue meant to evoke a feeling of energy. Instead, it evokes the feeling of malaise over the thought of consuming a beverage that looks to be nothing short of radioactive.
Appearance qualms aside, the RX Energy tea just doesn't taste good. According to the can's description, the beverage features an "invigorating blend" with a green tea base, citrus flavors, ginseng, and eleuthero root, amongst other inclusions. This beverage is caffeinated — quite caffeinated, in fact, boasting more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per can — so if this is how you like to get your kicks, then by all means, go for it.
If not, though, it's probably wise to steer clear of this tea, which simply doesn't taste good. It's difficult to pinpoint any single flavor going on in a given sip; instead, you get a cacophony of sickly sweet, earthy flavors that don't work well together. And, considering green tea is the base of this supposed tonic, it really tastes nothing like tea and more like juice.
12. Half & Half Iced Tea and Mango
We really, really wanted to like the Half & Half Iced Tea and Mango flavor, but it just doesn't quite work. Featuring half black tea and half mango flavor, this tea is a go-to for those who enjoy the sweetness of mango puree but don't want the sugar blowout that would come with AriZona's Mucho Mango.
On paper, this tea flavor should work wonderfully; black tea and mango go really well together, but instead of enjoying a harmonious blend of flavors with each sip, it just tastes like corn syrup overload. High fructose corn syrup is the second ingredient listed on the can, and though many of these teas feature corn syrup, it's most present in the mango half-and-half — and that's most definitely not a good thing.
If you enjoy the flavor of mango puree and enjoy your beverages on the sweeter side, then there's a chance that you'll like the mango half and half. For us, it just doesn't work — you can hardly taste the tea, and are instead left with an overly-sweet mess that tastes thick and syrupy and not at all refreshing.
11. Arnold Palmer Half & Half
Perhaps the most controversial placement on this list is putting the iconic Arnold Palmer in the third-to-last place — unfortunately, it really does belong low on the list. In case you've never tried or heard of an Arnold Palmer, it consists of equal amounts iced tea and lemonade, supposedly providing a refreshing balance between earthy black tea and citrusy lemonade. If you make an Arnold Palmer from scratch, with fresh ingredients, then it tastes quite delightful. If you drink one from an AriZona can, however, then it tastes like a watered-down mess.
To say that a sip of AriZona's Arnold Palmer is lackluster would be an understatement. If you've ever sipped on a steaming cup of Theraflu or other citrus-flavored cold and flu medication, then you essentially know what the Arnold Palmer tastes like, and that is most definitely a bad thing. There's something so distasteful about artificial lemon flavor, and considering the Arnold Palmer boasts half lemonade, we recommend steering clear of this one — unless, of course, you're a fan of feeling let down by your beverage choices.
10. Arnold Palmer Southern Style Half & Half
For all of the reasons that the classic Arnold Palmer doesn't work, the Arnold Palmer Southern Style also doesn't work. The difference with this one is that it features pink lemonade instead of regular lemonade and, somehow, it works slightly better than the original. The flavor is a little bit sweeter and less watered-down, making for an all-around more enjoyable beverage.
Interestingly, pink lemonade was originally created in a sweet accident that included dirty laundry, so it didn't actually taste different from regular lemonade — it just featured a pink hue (luckily, modern variations of the drink get the hue from food coloring, not dirty laundry). Pink lemonade does sometimes have a different flavor thanks to the addition of strawberry or cranberry juice, and in the case of AriZona's Southern Style half and half, there does seem to be some flavor difference. The only clue that the ingredients list offers is "Fruit and vegetable juice for color," and while we can't say that the addition makes this drink much better than the OG, it does offer a slight improvement.
9. Iced Tea with Peach Flavor
AriZona offers a few "Iced Tea with (insert fruit here)" flavors, and one of them has to be the worst. Iced tea with peach flavor ranks lowest of its kind on our list, though it's not to say it's an awful flavor. It's truly just okay, nothing special, and nothing we'd really consider getting again. That said, if you're a huge fan of peach-flavored beverages, then you won't be too disappointed by this one.
The biggest issue with the iced tea with peach flavor tea is that it's more like a peach drink with an iced tea flavor. Ideally, the peach flavor would complement the tea, showing up as more of an aftertaste than anything else, but instead, this tea tastes overwhelmingly like an artificial peach. It lacks a balance that the other iced tea with fruit flavors manage to accomplish, but it's far from the worst option on this list — an okay middle-ground flavor, most ideal for those who really love peach.
8. Arnold Palmer Strawberry Half & Half
Of all the Arnold Palmer half-and-half flavors out there, the strawberry one is definitely the best — but that's not to say that it's amazing, either. It's another middle-of-the-road flavor, no doubt beloved by a niche group of people across the globe, but otherwise forgettable relative to the rest of the list.
If you are a fan of Arnold Palmers and actively seek them out, then it's definitely a good idea to opt for this strawberry version instead of the Southern Style or original. The strawberry really does enhance the overall flavor of the drink — it provides a fruity punchiness, doesn't taste watered-down like the classic version, and is generally more interesting to sip on than a plain Arnold Palmer. The strawberry flavor works well with both the tea and lemonade components of the drink, and it is surprisingly not too overbearing. Strawberry lovers will definitely get a kick out of this one, but if you aren't a fan of that flavor, then it's best to skip it altogether.
7. Sweet Tea
Those who grew up in the South or have ever visited family in the area have likely enjoyed a glass (or several) of freshly-brewed sweet tea. It's hard to resist the enticing concoction, which is best served with ice and on a patio in the middle of summer. There's something very nostalgic about a glass of sweet tea even if you didn't grow up drinking it.
Unfortunately for AriZona's Sweet Tea, it isn't anywhere near as good as the fresh stuff. And, realistically, it's hard to fault the company for it, seeing as any mass-produced, canned beverage isn't going to be as good as the real deal. For what it's worth, though, this sweet tea does taste good enough; it's far from unpalatable, and if you crack open an ice-cold can on a summer's day, there's no doubt you'll feel refreshed by the sweet beverage. It may even muster up some nostalgia, too.
There's not too much complexity to this drink, and it is perhaps the most basic one on the list, with the only real flavor addition being sugar. It's meant to be simple and classic, of course, so while there's nothing overtly wrong with AriZona's Sweet Tea, there are simply more exciting flavors to reach for.
6. Green Tea Cucumber with Citrus
The Green Tea Cucumber with Citrus is perhaps the most polarizing option on this list. Those who enjoy cucumbers and especially enjoy cucumber water will no doubt enjoy this concoction, seeing as cucumber is a very present flavor note. In fact, you take one sip of this tea and immediately it tastes entirely of cucumber, but somehow not in a way that feels particularly overwhelming or upsetting. To be fair, cucumber has a pretty mild flavor by nature, so even the most cucumbery flavors are only going to be so strong. After the initial hit of cucumber, the subtle flavors of green tea and lime come through in a very refreshing way.
The biggest downfall of this tea is the fact that it tastes a bit watered-down. But perhaps that's a good thing, or at the very least stays true to the nature of cucumber, seeing as it is a fruit largely composed of water. Ideal for summer days when you want something a little more flavorful than cucumber water, this tea will definitely hit the spot.
5. Iced Tea with Lemon Flavor
Considering how lowly ranked most of the teas that feature lemonade are, it may be a bit surprising to find the Iced Tea with Lemon Flavor so high on this list. Somehow, however, the lemon flavor in this tea tastes wonderful — not overbearing, not hidden, and certainly not artificial. This tea gets major props for tasting so much like a fresh glass of iced tea with lemon squeezed right in; it's not quite as good as the fresh version, but it's pretty darn close.
Now that we've reached the top five flavors, there really isn't anything bad to say about any of them, including the lemon flavor. It was only narrowly edged out by the teas ranked ahead of it, and if we have a single complaint, it's that the tea is perhaps a touch too sweet. That's a common theme with AriZona teas, however, and it's something that you accept going into it. For those who love a classic iced tea with lemon, you simply can't go wrong with nabbing a can of this stuff in a pinch.
4. Blueberry White Tea
AriZona's Blueberry White Tea is no doubt the most surprising flavor on this list. We assumed it would be quite bland, lackluster, and immediately forgettable, but instead, it proved to be something of an underdog.
At first sip, the tea's flavor is definitely more subtle than the other flavors. Once the blueberry flavor sets in, however, it is incredibly delicious, offering perhaps the most depth of flavor of all the teas in AriZona's lineup. The blueberry flavor is remarkably tasty, playing up the natural flavor of blueberries without being bland, which the fruit sometimes can be. If you've ever had blueberry syrup or compote, you can expect this drink to taste similar, all without being overly sweet or tasting too artificial.
This tea also features pear juice in its ingredients list — many of the teas do, in fact — but that flavor is most prevalent in this tea. It works brilliantly with the blueberry, providing the perfect fruity balance alongside the otherwise mild white tea.
3. Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey
It's no surprise to see AriZona's Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey so high on this list. It's an absolute classic, and perhaps the most immediately-recognizable can of all the AriZona teas out there. You'll have no trouble finding this tea in stores — wherever AriZona teas are stocked, the ever-popular Green Tea is going to be front and center.
As for the flavor of this tea, it's notably neutral, but for once that's actually a good thing. This tea is meant to be mellow and perhaps even relaxing, and even the packaging reflects this notion. Out of all the beverages that feature green tea as the base, this one tastes the most like actual green tea, albeit a very sweetened version of it. It's also nice to get some variety with the addition of honey, so instead of just tasting sugar-sweet, it tastes honey-sweet. This tea also prominently showcases the popular adaptogen ginseng, which many AriZona flavors actually feature to some degree.
In a world where black tea reigns supreme in the context of iced tea, it's nice to see green tea get the representation it deserves. If you're looking for a refreshing tea that isn't too heavy on caffeine and features flavors that are subtle without being muted or watered-down, then you can't go wrong with this timeless option.
2. Iced Tea with Raspberry Flavor
There are plenty of fruit flavors featured in AriZona teas, though any longtime fan knows that the Iced Tea with Raspberry Flavor is the best fruit-infused variety out there. Now, it is worth noting that if you really don't like raspberries then you're probably not going to like this tea. It does taste strongly of raspberry, and there's no way to really consider it an afterthought of a flavor, so it might not be everyone's favorite. If you do like tart raspberries, however, then you're in for a treat with this tea.
Much like the Iced Tea with Lemon Flavor, the raspberry addition is so well-balanced with the black tea. In our opinion, raspberry and black tea are two flavors that go together wonderfully, so it's no surprise that this tea is a hit. The raspberry flavor is simultaneously sweet and tart, providing the perfect bite without feeling like you're drinking something too sour. While this tea is most definitely sweet, the tartness almost acts as a secret weapon, adding a level of flavor that most of the other teas on this list don't have.
1. Black & White Iced Tea
It may come as a shock to see AriZona's Black and White Iced Tea taking the top spot on this list, but anyone who has tried this tea will likely attest to just how good it is. The combination of black and white teas melds delightfully and creates a balance that isn't unlike green tea, but somehow even better.
Also, much like the aforementioned Green Tea, the Black and White Iced Tea features honey and ginseng, making for a mellow beverage that isn't overrun by any artificial flavors. Compared to other AriZona teas, the black and white tea has significantly less sugar — 14 grams per serving — so it manages to taste plenty sweet without going overboard, something that many others on this list fail at quite miserably.
As for the tea itself, the flavor is earthy and mild, with each sip managing to be just as good as the last. This tea is ideal for sipping when you want a beverage that is equal parts refreshing and calming; it's the ultimate summer drink, if you will, so if you see the Black and White Iced Tea featured amongst the AriZona masses, it's definitely worth giving a try.