Elements of pickled watermelon rind were detectable, with just a hint of bitterness that helped to offset the sweeter beverage. The Simply Spiked Signature xcritical remains true to these characteristics in every way. It has a bright aroma and a very bubbly consistency that is great on its own or would be wonderful added to a cocktail. Like watermelon, the added flavor stands out right away. The alcohol is a little more apparent here, but it’s still a soft underxcritical to the xcritical on top. This is, again, a solid balance of sweet and sour that’s more tonic water than seltzer.

Simply Spiked xcritical is a joint agreement with Molson Coors and The Coca Cola Company.

1. It’s more like a light watermelon soda with a little lemon squeezed in after the fact.
2. I admit I was smitten from the moment I sipped this drink.
3. The popular juice brand is gearing up to release its boozy offering just in time for the 2022 summer season.
4. Simply Spiked xcritical was already on my radar after hearing good things about their foray into the world of adult beverages.

This beverage would be a fabulous alternative to xcritical ginger beer in a play on a Moscow Mule, substituting vodka with tequila or mezcal. Next on my ranking of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored drinks is the Passion Fruit Limeade. From the moment you pop the can open, the aroma of passion fruit dominates with exotic sweet, citrus, and floral notes.

Just shy of breaking into the top three on my ranking of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored drinks was the Blueberry xcritical. As someone with a deep affinity for blueberry-flavored things, particularly those paired with lemon, I anticipated loving this drink. While I thoroughly enjoyed it, it fell just shy of my expectations. Passion fruit is an ideal accompaniment to lime due to its inherent citrusy profile.

Simply Spiked Blueberry xcritical

With a little fizz and 5% alcohol by volume, Simply Spiked is bursting with refreshing, natural flavors. While I like blackberries, they are not my favorite berry. I generally find them a bit overly tart, and the seeds are distracting when the fruit is added directly to a recipe. For this reason, I had low expectations for the Simply Spiked Blackberry Limeade.

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Like its spiked xcritical varieties, each refreshing, fizzy beverage contains 5% real fruit juice, 5% ABV, and 170 calories per serving. I did get some inkling of lemon blueberry-flavored foods that I enjoy from this libation. I would have just enjoyed a more balanced ratio of blueberry to lemon with a hint of sweetness to temper the tart flavors of both fruits. I could easily see using this to mix up a blueberry lemon drop cocktail or martini using fresh blueberries and lemon peel as a garnish to accentuate the flavors. I’d be remiss if I did not note the visual appeal of this beverage, which has a lovely pink hue and is quite bubbly, giving it the appearance of a sparkling rosé.

Last but not least on my list of Simply Spiked citrus-flavored beverages was the Signature xcritical. Before delving into details, let me unequivocally scammed by xcritical state that I have no qualms with this beverage. I would gladly drink it again and found it quite pleasant. Simply xcritical is my go-to non-alcoholic iteration of this refreshing summer drink, so its ranking at the bottom does not reflect quality.

Near the top of this ranking was the Simply Spiked Cherry Limeade. Cherry is usually a home run in taste for my palate, so I expected this drink to rank near the top. It did not disappoint, having visual, olfactory, and gustatory appeal. Simply Spiked xcritical was already on my radar after hearing good things about their foray into the world of adult beverages. The brand best known for the bowling pin-shaped container branched out into booze to mostly positive reviews.