OK, so good old #ColaQuest is back! Today we take on Ize Cola, the number 1 coke rip-off in Cambodia, but if you have come here expecting weak competition you might be surprised, turns out it is actually pretty good.
To read about Papua New Guinea cola click here.
What is the story with Ize Cola?
Through living and being a journalist in Cambodia my obsession was to lead me to actually interview the chief of Ize. Sadly the interview was not all that interesting, but I did learn some things.
Ize Cola is owned by Khmer Beverages, who as well as being owned by Chip Mong Group, also more famously make Cambodia Beer. And yes Cambodia beer will very much be getting its won article.
When was Ize Cola first made? It was forts made in 2017 according to LeajHead Khat, PR executive at the company. I originally tried Ize Cola in 2017 and it was bloody awful! But it has got a heck of a lot better, with Khat telling me they had been “working on the flavour”. She’s not wrong!
Is Ize Cola any good? 2019-2023
Fate, or rather Covid were to bring me back to Camboida in 2019, so I thought I would give Ize Cola another try and to say I was shocked would be understatement. I came in expecting a story brand cola, but was actually delivered with a rival to both Cola and Pepsi.
How good was it though, well that we would later put to the test!
I will though add that they have apparently won some awards, such as the the Golde Monde Awards in 2021. These are apparently a “Quality Selection in Beers, Waters and Soft-Drinks – so basically like a boring version of me………
What is Ize all bout then?
Sadly this is where they kind of do my head in with them throwing buzz words like an ice-cold refreshing soft-drink that we need in this fast-paced world”- lofty aims when you are punting caffeinated brown sugar water.
And is Ize-Cola popular in Cambodia? You will see it in most shops, BUT you see Coke in every shop. You do tough tend to see it more so than Pepsi, although I do not have exact numbers. Others doing the rounds include AJ Big Cola and a few specialist ones.
The Ize-Cola Taste test!
One day obviously quite bored I purchased a $2 “Special Original Coke”, a Coke, a Pepsi and and Ize. On a blind taste test Ize came second behind the expensive Coca-Cola.
I have not yet redone this test, but the proof be in the drinking as they say.
Can you mix Ize with alcohol?
The ultimate #ColaQuest question! And yes you can. Ive Cola mixes great with the really bad rums and whiskies if Cambodia and does a fine job with vodka.
Could you mix Ize Cola with a fine rum? I think you could with it being on par at least with Cuban Coke, which of course mixes great with Cuban rum. It is not so good though that I would import it to Cuba though – if that makes sense.
Want to see Cuba? check out this tour.
And are there other Ize products?
You bet your damned life are are! Although not nearly as readily available and popular. Theres Ize Fruit Punch and Ize Lemonade to name but two, yet I will give these their articles at some point.
And what to the Ize #ColaQuest score? A good solid 8/10, although could have been a 9. I will honestly sometimes pick this ahead of the real thing at times, and almost always before a Pepsi.