Cody’s has many negative associations, several of which are fair. As previous booze reviews have mentioned, it is the drink of choice of 12 year-olds at skate parks throughout the country. For many, the drink is reminiscent of alcohol-fueled injuries and social decay. But these prejudiced associations shroud the truth about Cody’s: they taste bloody fantastic.
Bourbon and Colas are, on the surface, all very similar. It is easy to disregard the differences between their sickly sweet tastes as due to errors in the mixing process. But this variation is not random. To a B&C enthusiast, a Diesel and a Mav are night and day. Subtle differences in mouth feel, fizziness, sweetness and more combine in a symphony of sensations on the tongue, and there is no drink which conducts this symphony with more grace and subtlety than the humble Cody’s.
It is hard to find the perfect bourbon and cola. Diesels are too fizzy and have a bitter aftertaste. William Mavericks have too much bourbon. Woodstocks are overly sweet. Barrel 51s leave a greasy layer on the tongue and are too weak. But Cody’s, sweet Cody’s, are in the Goldilocks zone between all these sensations. The balance of bourbon and sweetness is spot on, the cola compliments but doesn’t overpower the bourbon, and the aftertaste is bitter enough to be refreshing but not enough to be disgusting. Cody’s are the king of B&C’s.
A 12 pack of Cody’s usually goes for about $28 which makes it outrageously expensive for a Bourbon and Cola at 1.68 dollars per standard. But the price also adds to the allure of Cody’s. It sets them apart from the rest of the bourbon and cola crowd, and hints at some secret process which makes Cody’s above average.
Cody’s may have a problem with how it is viewed by a large part of the NZ population, but if those people were to set aside their prejudice they would find that Cody’s is not only the best B&C, but one of the best RTDs on the market. The subtle balance of flavours is masterful and makes lesser bourbon and colas look like they were mixed by your nephew that got to pour drinks at the wedding that one time. Cody’s is truly the king of bourbon and cola, and long may they reign.
Tasting notes: perfect harmony between alcohol and flavour.
Froth level: blasting music from your razor scooter.
Tastes like: rural New Zealand, the floor of a Nissan Skyline.
Overall rating: 9/10 exquisite.