What Flavor Is Coca-Cola Exactly?

Since its introduction in 1886, Coca-Cola has become renowned for its many flavors, including mainstays like Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke, and temporary flavors ranging from lemon and lime to orange and raspberry. But the original, once known as Coca-Cola Classic, has been enjoyed for decades even as its formula remains one of the food industry's biggest trade secrets.

Like KFC's recipe for its famous chicken, the formula for Coca-Cola's beloved soda is known only to a select few, even as Coke products are enjoyed by nearly two billion people each day around the world — one of many fascinating facts about the Coca-Cola company. So, what's the secret behind Coca-Cola's formula? The company itself says the drink includes carbonated water (roughly 90%), sugar, phosphoric acid, caffeine, and caramel color, all of which combine to give the soda bubbles, color, and notes of sweetness, bitterness, and tartness.

The last ingredient is natural flavors, which, according to Coca-Cola, are at the essence of its secret formula. Among these flavors is the extract of coca plant leaves and, formerly, caffeine-packed kola nuts, which were once at the heart of Coke's iconic flavor. Vanilla and cinnamon are also in the mix of natural flavors, but citrus oils (lemon, orange, and lime), nutmeg, and other trace flavors also combine to give Coke its distinctive taste.

Dr. John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886, and his syrup recipe was such a heavily kept secret that it was never written down and was only shared with a few people. The original recipe is said to have contained sugar water, caffeine, coca leaf extract, kola nuts (which it no longer uses), coco, and vanilla among other ingredients. The coca leaf is also used to produce cocaine, and, for nearly 20 years, Coca-Cola contained small amounts of the drug due to the use of the leaf.

The recipe was later changed in the early 1900s, and it now uses a de-cocainized extract of the leaf. While Coca-Cola does not have a distinct singular flavor, Pemberton's invention kickstarted the cola genre of soft drinks and companies such as Pepsi (introduced in 1893) and RC Cola (introduced in 1905) produced their own variations. Pepsi uses many of the same ingredients as Coke, including vanilla and caramel. It also once used kola nut. 

The formulas for the two drinks are nearly identical with the differences in taste coming from slight variations in the amount of sugar, acidic component, or natural flavors used. For those who like to experiment in the kitchen, cola can be made at home with many of the ingredients listed above. It may not match the taste of Pepsi or Coke exactly, but it can still be enjoyed on its own or in classic drinks like bourbon and cola or Jack Daniel's and soda. Today, there's also a wide variety of popular cola brands available.