11 Mtn Dew Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best

Mtn Dew has been tickling innards and sparking sugar rushes since the 1940s. It was initially invented in the Tennessee foothills by Barney and Ally Hartman – though not for the reasons you may think. The brothers weren't aiming to create a refreshing soda, but rather a lemon-lime mixer specifically for whiskey — which is perhaps the reason why the soda and bourbon remain a popular Appalachian cocktail even today. From there, a brand was born, dubbed "Mountain Dew" after a bygone slang term for moonshine and promoted with its gun-slingin', bottle-sippin' mascot Willy the Hillbilly. Eventually, the fizzy formula landed in the hands of Pepsi, which pulled it up from its bootstraps and burgeoned it into the rainbow-colored bevy of bottles we know today.

Known as one of the most controversial of soda pops, Mtn Dew — formerly known as Mountain Dew — has endured its fair share of bubbling ups and downs. A large reason for backlash was its prior inclusion of brominated vegetable oil — a potentially harmful substance that has since been axed from the ingredient list. The brand also receives heat for its astronomical sugar and caffeine levels. But, even so, the iconic soft drink obviously continues to appeal to the masses and is available at nearly every place serving Pepsi products.

Right now, the Dew-y lineup is as stacked as ever, filled with every neon color under the sun. And, I recently tried every flavor I could find to determine which iterations sparkle and which fizzle out. 

Mtn Dew came marching into the summer of 2024 with a wave of new patriotic flavors. Liberty Chill, formerly known as Liberty Brew, satisfies the blue part of the equation — although, its color is less of a navy America-type blue and more of a razzle-dazzle royal blue. As for the flavor profile, the brand says it's a coalescence of 50 different tastes with berry notes at the forefront. So, it's doing quite a lot, yet by my account, not a single thing right.

The beverage is sweet right out of the gate, but it's more watery sweet than in-your-face sweet. Some type of fruit taste is also undeniable, though it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it is. It must be the 50 add-ins all competing for my attention. At first, it's analogous to a tropical fruit punch and blueberry fusion, though cherry notes also occasionally work their way to your tastebuds. The bottle essentially takes you on a flavor ride that never slows down and spins you around and around in sugary circles. Then, when it finally lets you off, all that's left is a floral, perfume-like essence. I'm not sure about you, but that's not the experience I'm looking for in my refreshments, and I will take the liberty of saying this may be one of the worst Mtn Dew creations of all time.

Where there's a classic, world-renowned soda pop, there's a subsequent diet version lurking not too far behind. Mtn Dew's alleged better-for-you alternative popped up in the 1980s, as "Sugar-Free Mountain Dew." The sugar levels of this diet beverage are less than a gram per bottle — compare that to the heart-stopping 77 grams found in a 20-ounce bottle of the regular recipe. The diet version also contains just 10 calories, compared to 290 in the original recipe. 

With all these reductions, this diet spin-off was destined to differ from the original. However, I never imagined it would be this big of a fizzy fail. Appearance and whiff-wise, the two sludge-green soft drinks are nearly identical. Even as the first droplets of carbonated, citrus-toned liquid trickle down your throat, the variability is still not abundantly clear. Then, it hits you like an aspartame-flooded truck. The diet pop's nonsaccharide sweetener coats your tongue post-swallow with a relentlessly bitter taste. It's wildly artificial and the flavor is unpleasant, Moreover, the potential health risks of consuming aspartame sent Diet Mtn Dew to the bottom of my ranking. I think I will take my chances with the sugar-gorged beverage that is the original rather than do this Dew again.

Make room Code Red; there's another cherry-colored Mtn Dew taking up refrigerator space this summer. But be careful, or else you may mix up the two. The newcomer, named Star Spangled Splash, is part of Mtn Dew's 2024 America-inspired trifecta. The bottle is fittingly decked out with booming fireworks and bright stars. On the inside, the vibrant effervescent liquid is said to deliver a red berry taste — more specifically, notes of both raspberry and strawberry.

While it's a significant step up from its blue counterpart, Liberty Chill, this summer soda installment still doesn't make a major splash in the flavor department. Berry flavor of any kind seems to be buried deep in the brew so that it hardly makes an appearance at all. Cherries take the reins instead and turn the drink into an unappealing hybrid that lands somewhere in between a sticky Bomb Pop popsicle and a swig of Robitussin cough syrup. It's a little tart, much too sweet, and not reminiscent of the standard, citrusy Mtn Dew in the slightest. I also can't help but bring up the originality factor here. This flavor category — whether it ended up tasting good or bad — is a little bit been-there-done-that not only throughout the entire soft drink category but even just in the Mtn Dew realm itself. I expected more from this customarily innovative brand.

Major Melon is one of those Mtn Dew concoctions that comes with its own crazy mascot; the brand frequently prints caricatures on its cans and bottles. They're colorful, yet in hiding — like Easter eggs. This specific character is the esteemed Major Melon himself, a whole green melon who marches to the beat of his own drum and must defend his watermelon patch from invaders. If you haven't caught on yet, juicy watermelon is the foundation of this 2021-released flavor that now stands as a permanent fixture. It is more elusive nowadays, however, and I could only find it in a 12-pack of cans rather than a 20-ounce bottle like the rest.

I took the fluorescent pink coloring of this soda as a warning and braced for a saccharine grenade. It's certainly melon-infused and comes off like a liquified Sour Patch Kids Watermelon candy — just without the puckering sourness. It's not quite as cloying as it could have been, though. Instead, it offers a sweetness that bursts to life at the beginning and then fizzles out into an artificial, yet almost refreshing, finish. Overall, it exceeded my expectations (although that's not saying much), and I do think this would be a Dew-y dream for kids or sugar fiends.

Given its name, I would have expected Voltage to carry a shocking taste that was striking and memorable — if not in a good way, then at least in an intriguing way. But, the beverage falls flat all around. Even the color is a bit lifeless. The shade is lighter than Liberty Chill and falls more into the realm of muted steel blue on the color wheel. Despite this shade, it's actually meant to mimic the tang of raspberries and also throws in ginseng root extract in as an added bonus. If you're unfamiliar with ginseng (don't worry — I had to refresh my memory as well), it's a plant root and popular supplement that's filled with antioxidants and known for its earthy bitterness.

As I took my first swig, I noticed that blue raspberry was the only flavor that popped into focus. It's not really bitter, not really citrusy, and has no depth beyond this early designation. Ultimately, it boils down to humdrum with the bubbles taking over as the most captivating feature. I am unsure how Voltage won the brand's 2008 DEWmocracy marketing campaign – which earned it a forever seat on the shelf. It really begs the question: How bland (or just plain bad) were the other choices?

In my mind, any kind of purple-washed beverage is associated with grape flavors. So, I was surprised, and admittedly a bit disappointed, to learn this assumed essence is not what Mtn Dew Purple Thunder is all about. The stormy, violet-hued beverage includes blasts of blackberry and plum in lieu of grapes — which is an interesting and unanticipated swap. The 2022 adaptation was originally released exclusively at Circle K gas stations, but it has since moved like a warm front over to retailers like Kroger and Walmart.

Overall, the flavor here is subtle in terms of both sweetness and zest, like soft rumbles of taste in the distance. Purple Thunder is also strictly berry-like. It leans slightly toward the acidic side; otherwise, any hints of plum are left in the dust. It's simply not as daring or rich as other Mtn Dew formulas, although it's not overtly unpleasant. I just think I would rather have the discontinued Pitch Black flavor back instead, since it actually offers a robust grape taste.

Finally, a patriotic punch that I can get behind. The Freedom Fusion Mtn Dew rounds out the brand's three-part summer 2024 flavor experience. Its appearance is cloudy white — almost murky or even milky-looking. But, unlike its Liberty Chill co-release, it's crystal clear what taste it is designed to replicate. Peachy notes permeate the entire bottle with an almost creamy essence like the one found in peach yogurt. It's an obvious sensation — albeit a tiny bit fake. This fruity and floral half also mixes with something else, and while it's not entirely reminiscent of a refreshing lemonade as advertised, it does offer citrusy drops of the oblong yellow fruit. The bottled beverage is also a tad less bubbly than normal Mtn Dew, so it does drink more like a lemonade, tea, or juice.

The one quirky and unexpected feature of this Fusion is its scent, which is noticeable after you unscrew the cap for the first time. At this moment, it smells identical to a mainstream hard seltzer. In a blind sniff test, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the Dew and either a White Claw or Truly inundated with peach dewdrops. Afterward, the soda becomes very light, palatable, and clearly distinguishable from an alcoholic spiked seltzer. Out of the three 2024 flavors, Freedom Fusion is the one I would like to reappear most after it's had its summer in the sun. I say let Freedom continue to ring.

The OG Mtn Dew has undergone a few formula changes since its inception back in the 1940s. First, the Tip Corporation threw lemonade into the mix in the early 1960s after it took over rights to the title from the Hartman brothers. Then, in the mid-'70s, about 10 years after Pepsi stepped in, the recipe was altered yet again to include orange flavoring and that bright neon green hue. This is the recipe that is still being sold today, and the one that has made Mtn Dew just as iconic as other pop stars like Coke, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper.

Labeled as a "citrus soda", this original flavor is often compared to other lemon-lime offerings such as Sprite, 7Up, or Starry (previously known as Sierra Mist). However, I have always found Mtn Dew to be much bolder; it packs a deeper and more profound lime punch. Perhaps it's just the vivid viridescent color playing tricks on my mind, or maybe it really is a more audacious formula — both in terms of looks and taste. It does leave you with a shred of bitterness on the back end, but it's still miles above many of its syrupy and artificially sugared descendants. The original was the only Mtn Dew on the market from the 1940s through the 1980s. And, in my opinion, it continues to carry much of the Dew family on its back as an always reliable, can't-go-wrong kind of choice.

This citrus-inspired Mtn Dew has been keeping fans wired since 2003. Although, it wasn't until 2005 — a few limited-time appearances later — that it finally joined the team full-time. The name itself doesn't give much away, but its radiant hue is a major hint at the lifeblood of this bottle. It's orange through and through and has more of a juicy flavor compared to Mtn Dew's other products. As is to be expected, its orange hue is enhanced with artificial colors. 

I have to say I was surprised by the freshness that's squeezed into this carbonated beverage. It's simply revitalizing, and though it has 77 grams of sugar like many other Mtn Dew bottles, it doesn't come off as sickly sweet. On the nose, LiveWire has an almost SunnyD-like essence. But, on the tongue, it shares more similarities with other established orange sodas, like Fanta or Orange Crush. Then, that recognizable Mtn Dew taste hits you at the very last second like a lemon-lime wave. 

Light and crisp, this is a perfect Dew for summertime. I've also heard of people pairing the orange drink with a few scoops of vanilla to create a creamsicle-type dessert ... yum. However, despite its appeal, I just can't justify moving it past third place since it is so parallel to other products on the market. I wouldn't be surprised if LiveWire's boozier form ups the ante, though, and pushes the flavor even closer into the winning circle. 

Code red, code red. If you haven't tried this Mtn Dew flavor yet, you need to find one immediately. It's a task that shouldn't be too difficult, considering this variety seems to be the third-highest-stocked after Original and Diet. The red cherry rendition was released in 2001 and has been a winner for the brand ever since. This sparkling success right out of the gate solidified Code Red's permanent spot in the Dew lineup and kindled the creation of further outgrowths, including Code Red Zero Sugar and Diet Code Red.

So, what does this fiery color alert flavor taste like? It's almost as if someone took a bottle of regular Mtn Dew and spruced it up with a few beads of juicy grenadine. The liquid isn't quite as sweet as a maraschino cherry, but it's not as tart as a fresh pick of the fruit. Unlike the Star Spangled Splash, it doesn't lean into the cough syrup corner, but is instead reminiscent of a snow cone perfectly showered with a cherry sugar solution. Not to mention that Code Red is absolutely unbeatable in slushie form — a treat that can often be found at convenience stores like Circle K and 7-Eleven.

Call me basic, or just another member of the Baja Blast cult. But, for me, this is the IT Mtn Dew flavor that can't be beat. Mtn Dew's famous Baja Blast is presented as a tropical lime-type beverage — a description more illustrative than Taco Bell's "like drinking a real hurricane" narrative, yet one that's still difficult to grasp if you've never tasted it. It maintains the integrity of the original Mtn Dew but accentuates it more with a heavier splash of lime and supplemental tropical fruit punch notes — like pineapple, mango, and maybe even papaya. I also like to think of it as a simple, cool taste. Cool like a surfer effortlessly catching a wave or a rollerblader whizzing down the street of a sleepy beach town.

Regardless of the mystery flavors in the Baja Blast, it's easy to see how it's undoubtedly beloved and iconic, so much so that it's inspired an entire line of its own with summery blast spin-offs like Baja Gold and Baja Mango Gem. Plus, it's even been turned into a fierce hot sauce — one endeavor that may have taken things too far, but you have to appreciate the creativity.

Personally, I couldn't imagine munching on a late-night Crunchwrap without a Baja Blast Freeze sitting in my cupholder, and it's the first flavor I think to grab during a quick gas station pit stop. For these reasons, I am naming this Mtn Dew variation my fizzy favorite. Cheers to you, Baja Blast.

For this Mtn Dew taste test, I gathered up every single bottle (and one can) of the caffeinated, fizzy beverage I could find from local grocers, convenience stores, and even gas stations. I was able to rummage up this list of flavors — which includes both permanent fixtures and limited-time releases — around my Columbus, Ohio, area. From there, I followed a few different criteria as I sipped, swigged, and ultimately judged each rendition. 

First, I looked for flavors that held true to that classic Mtn Dew without venturing too far under the weight of new additives. Then, anything too cloying, syrupy, or clearly artificially sugared quickly fell to the bottom of the list. Lastly, I watched out for uniqueness compared to other soda options, to try to find something that is unlike anything else you can find on the shelf. At the end of the day, the decision was harder than anticipated, but I believe I pinpointed the top flavor of all — one that many consumers can agree on and one that isn't likely to go out of style anytime soon.