I had never heard of Jarritos before until I sampled a cup last year at MexicoFest. After that first sip, I knew I was hooked. There’s something about Jarritos that has my tastebuds dancing.

A Mexican invention, Jarritos is Spanish for “little jars”, which explains the jugs on the label. First bottled south of the border in 1950, Jarritos has since flowed northwards into the United States and Canada.

Unlike most other carbonated beverages, Jarritos uses actual cane sugar as opposed to high fructose corn syrup for a more natural taste. Even better – the drink comes in a variety of flavours. Jarritos is made with mostly fruit-based ingredients: grapefruit, guava, fruit punch, tamarind, lime, mandarin, strawberry, pineapple, hibiscus, and Mexican cola.

I’m partial to the grapefruit, tamarind and Mexican cola flavours. Grapefruit is sweet, yet tangy. Tamarind has a distinct sweet but savoury taste to it. As for the Mexican cola flavour, it’s a little stronger than other cola-based brands. It took me a while to get used to the aroma, but it’s become one of my favourites.

I found that a few stores in Vancouver carry Jarritos, but their selection of flavours varies based on location. Bottles are available at South China Seas Trading Company, Fresh is Best Salsa and Company, and Cilantro and Jalapeno.

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