This Medicine-Like Sparkling Ice Should Have Never Existed

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Flavored sparkling waters are seemingly taking over the world. With so many brands on the market, it's hard to keep up; even some grocery stores are releasing entire lineups of flavored fizzy waters — have you seen Trader Joe's selection? Among the many brands and (mostly fruity) flavors, Sparkling Ice has been in the game for a long time and certainly has an established fan base. Still, perhaps there is such a thing as too many flavors. Some should have stayed only as an idea on a whiteboard. We tried a whopping 17 Sparkling Ice flavors, and one that the world could easily do without is the Starburst Watermelon.

Our taste tester likened the taste of this water to strep throat medicine, and before you think that sounds a bit harsh, they were absolutely not the only ones with that association. "It [tastes] like penicillin," said one Amazon reviewer. Another stated the flavor was "identical to children's liquid medicine from the 90s." Many lamented grabbing a 12-pack online before trying the beverage, possibly being lured by the promise of fizzy water tasting like Starburst, one of America's most popular snacks. 

Another common complaint from the customers is that the beverage is way too sweet, even though the bottle proudly says "zero sugar." While that claim is technically true, the sparkling water does contain sucralose, an artificial sweetener.

Unfortunately, Black Cherry is yet another sparkling water from the lineup that weirdly tastes like medicine. "If you like cherry flavored cough medicine this is for you," pointedly says one reviewer, and our taste tester echoed this exact sentiment. There's a chemical, plastic taste to the water, definitely not something you'd ever drink for enjoyment. As one person put it, "I still have 6 left in the fridge I can't bring myself to drink." Honestly, who hasn't had the exact same thoughts while having to down cough syrup?

Now, to be entirely fair, not all flavors are medicine knock-offs. As a brand that has been around since the late '80s, Sparkling Ice has definitely nailed some flavors. If you're totally sold on the idea of Starburst-flavored bubbly water, our ranking found Starburst Strawberry to be the most authentic liquid representation of the eponymous candy — both in flavor and in smell. However, the Sparkling Ice flavor that was crowned as the absolute best was the refreshing Cherry Limeade. It has the most balanced taste notes, with nothing feeling too sweet or chemical, embodying the essence of what makes flavored sparkling waters so popular in the first place.