Dryk Julmust: Swedish Festive Drink

Well it's the first day of a new year. On the 30th, I turned a year older while managing to stay the exact amount of wiser, and I've spent most of the day taking down Christmas decorations, unpacking treats and reflecting on the new year that's ahead of us all. But somehow I still feel incomplete here inside the Soda Shack. My only beverage review for the holiday season was that terrible Summit Winter Collection, which barely qualifies as a holiday treat. I feel like there's some unfinished business here to drink a true holiday soda even if December has gone and left. And boy oh boy am I in luck! Thanks to my Godmother, I am able to revisit the holidays once more and try...Dryck Julmust: Swedish Festive Drink. Just rolls off the tongue.

So it's time for a quick history lesson that I'm basically stealing from Wikipedia. Julmust is a popular Swedish pop dating back to 1910 where it was created as an alternative to beer. Also making the inventor the least popular guy at in his frat house (I'm assuming). It is the most popular holiday beverage in Sweden and outsells coke by over 50% every year. It's nearly impossible to come across it in the states except for one magical place: IKEA! That's right, the same place you can get a flimsy card table for 11 cents, fresh baked cinnamon rolls, and a the Swedish Chef's autograph (again I'm assuming), also sells this rare carbonated treat. But enough talk - It's time to get my Christmas on.

Appearance:
Dryck Julmust (a phrase I'm too lazy to try and translate) is just screaming with holiday festiveness. From the (possibly offensively Asian stereotype?) smiling Santa Claus to the fresh fallen snow to the red cap - this soda IS Christmas. The bottle also lets me know that this is an aromatized (not a word according to Google) carbonated soft drink. I have a friend that was born without a sense of smell and I think I know EXACTLY what he's getting for Christmas next year. It also contains gluten and carbon dioxide...I hope I'm not allergic to things.

Smell/First Sip:

Well, I crack it open and...it smells like Christmas. I don't know how else to describe it really. It smells like different spices you would find it candy canes, snickerdoodles and elf tears. I have no idea how they made that smell out of ingredients such as "malt from barley" and "hops flavor", but well done Ikea! Okay, let's try this. Hmmm....every once in awhile, I'll come across something that is so unique and different that I have nothing to compare it to. It's very lightly carbonated. Very Sweet. I guess maybe it tastes vaguely like flat Dr. Pepper mixed with a Bud Light Lime? No idea how to describe it. But I like it!

Overall:
I drank some more and realized that I have indeed had something similar to this once before - Pepsi's Holiday Spice. It was out a few years ago for a very limited time, and I enjoyed it back then just as I'm enjoying this Ikea cocktail now. I'm glad I got to wrap up the holidays properly with Sweden's Swan Song to Christmas. I don't think that really makes sense, but it was fun to say it. Happy New Year everyone! Here's to more stomach aches and powdered milkboy drinks in 2014!