I’ve had a lot of Pringles in my life. Growing up it was all about the Ranch and BBQ flavors, and as I got older the light blue allure of Salt & Vinegar became my go-to stacking chip. I’ve also had a lot of weird Pringles flavors. Kickin’ Chicken Taco, Cheeseburger, White Chocolate Peppermint, and one of the most successful Pringles of all time – Ketchup. But those are all relatively safe offerings available stateside, and it’s in other parts of the world that things get pretty odd. Thank goodness for the internet and eBay, because via the magic of technology I was able to get one of the latest Pringles experiments from South Korea – Cola.

This is the first time I’ve had a Korean Pringle, and aesthetically they’re definitely different. It should be noted that when shipping fragile pressed potatoes across the world there’s bound to be some breakage, and the top part of the container took a pretty solid beating.

The can itself is skinnier than the U.S. version, and unsurprisingly the thinner can yields smaller chips. While they have the same general shape as the American Pringle, they’re not only smaller but paler as well. They have a distinct white glow to them, as opposed to the slightly golden sheen I’m used to, and a marginally firmer crisp when biting in.

When it comes to soda, cola isn’t my number one, but I love cola flavored gummy candy, and I’ve gotta give props to Pringles they pretty much nailed the flavor that I love in gummies. It’s immediately recognizable with distinct caramel-y notes that hedge towards a lime zest bite that’s shockingly not that sweet tempered by hints of ginger and mellow spice. The most impressive part about the seasoning though, is it actually channels the soda’s bubbly effervescence. Something in the mix actually causes a tingle on my tongue like drinking a soda, and creates a really impressive sensation that I didn’t expect. It’s not as intense as Pop Rocks, but it’s a wild trick that is everything limited release junk food should be. I can’t read the ingredients so I have no idea what’s going on, but my best guess is some kind of baking soda or other additive that creates the fascinating carbonated sensation.

If I can fault these chips in any way it’s in their lack of saltiness. Sure, I don’t expect a cola to be salty, but I do wish there was a touch of salt to drive the chippy factor home in addition to the impressive soda flavor. There’s no doubt that these are a product of pure novelty, and not something I want to have next to my tuna sandwich for lunch, but it’s a helluva lot of fun to see how successful a company can get with their creativity, and I may have a new addiction to paying $10 for a can of $2 chips.

Rating: 8/10

Found at: eBay ($10 shipped)