Review : Review of McCOL

Flavor of McCOL

When reviewing this, I try to ignore prior information, but when it’s said to be “the world’s worst,” it’s hard not to be influenced...

Upon opening, I smell a roasted barley tea scent with a slight caramel-like fragrance. The barley aroma is quite prominent, so if I didn’t know this was a “strange” drink, I might even think it’s “barley tea?” There’s no off-putting smell.

The color is a rich cola color. Since it’s said to be free of artificial coloring, maybe it’s the color of barley tea.

Now, let’s taste it.

Not just carbonated barley drink, but actually cola-flavored

The flavor retains a distinct barley taste, but it’s not just a simple carbonated barley tea. The sweetness of sugar and caramel, along with a slight herbal bitterness and flavor, come together to form a cola flavor.

When drinking it cold or at room temperature, there’s no refreshing barley tea aftertaste, and you can really feel the sweetness and enjoy the unique cola flavor. It was a complete surprise since it’s nothing like what I expected based on the prior information.

If you add ice, the barley tea flavor becomes much stronger, and it turns into a slightly sweet, refreshing barley tea. It reminds me of sweet yet refreshing North American green tea or black tea-based drinks.

Before trying it, I couldn’t understand how barley and carbonation could ever be mistaken for cola, but as I drank it, it clearly tasted like cola. The aftertaste and aroma are definitely cola-like.

“World’s worst” is an overstatement

After actually trying McCOL, I don’t think it deserves the title of "world's worst cola." While it does have a distinct barley taste, it’s honestly not that bad... In the past, McCOL was probably used for punishment games, but I don’t think this flavor would work for that.

Unless you’re overly sensitive to the smell of barley, you could easily enjoy it as a cola. There’s no weird taste or smell. I’m sure many people were surprised by how normal it tastes, especially after hearing the hype.

It’s probably been made into a joke because it’s associated with the Unification Church. If someone had to drink it for a punishment, I’d imagine they’d be at a loss for how to react.

If you actually drink it, you’ll realize it’s just a rumor that spread, and many people who haven’t tried it now think it’s the “world’s worst cola.” Maybe it’s better to not know about it and just go on with life.

Energy Ingredients of McCOL

Barley extract, sugar, fruit glucose syrup, herbal complex extract powder (sodium metabisulfite, licorice extract, and others), peppermint liquid / acidulant, flavoring, vitamin C, vitamin B3, vitamin B2, vitamin B1.
The herbal ingredients are a bit concerning, but aside from that, there’s no real issue.

Where can you buy McCOL?

McCOL was first released in 1982 in Korea by Ilhwa, a company associated with the Unification Church. Later, Happy World, and now IJC, imports and sells it in Japan.

Apparently, there was even a TV commercial for McCOL in Japan. It must have been selling well enough to have a TV spot.

When McCOL was first released in Japan, it became known as “the world’s worst cola,” causing quite a stir. However, in 2018, there were multiple reports of McCOL cans exploding, leading to a sudden halt in sales. This became known as the “McCOL explosion incident” online. The explosion was believed to be caused by can deterioration and carbonation pressure. This happens with energy drinks from time to time, too.

Since then, McCOL has been discontinued in Japan. However, it has quietly returned to the market, with improvements made to the can structure to prevent explosions. I’ve checked where McCOL is available now.

Amazon

You can now buy McCOL on Amazon, so there’s no need to search around. If you want to give McCOL a try, just buy it on Amazon.
⇒McCOL on Amazon

Don Quijote

There have been multiple reports of McCOL sightings at Don Quijote, which carries a wide variety of novelty products. However, it’s not available at all Don Quijote stores, so be careful. I checked a few nearby stores but couldn’t find it.

Village Vanguard

Previously, McCOL was sold at Village Vanguard with a “world’s worst cola” label as a novelty item. However, since the explosion in 2018, it seems to no longer be carried.

Shin-Okubo

In Shin-Okubo, also known as “Little Korea” in Japan, you could find McCOL in vending machines and Korean grocery stores. However, it seems less common these days. Going on a McCOL hunt in Shin-Okubo might be an interesting adventure.

Korean Food Import Stores

As of October 2022, I asked at a Korean food import store, and they said, “For some reason, McCOL is not coming from Korea anymore.” Unfortunately, no luck there.

In December 2023, I saw McCOL with Japanese labeling, specifically made for the Japanese market. The design has changed since my first review of McCOL, and now the Japanese version has adopted the "Retro Edition" design that’s also used internationally.

McCOL’s Sales Status in Korea and Abroad: On-Site Report

While traveling the world to gather local information about energy drinks, I’ve checked on McCOL’s availability in its home country of Korea and other places.

As of 2023, McCOL is a widely available beverage in Korea

In Korea, McCOL is commonly sold in convenience stores. Unlike the rare find in Japan, it’s well-known as a regular carbonated barley beverage. The price is around 140 yen.

This photo was taken in October 2022 at the CU convenience store chain in Korea, where McCOL is displayed prominently. Unlike the current situation in Japan, it’s available in almost every convenience store and can be easily purchased.

It’s hard to believe that McCOL, if it were really as bad as it’s made out to be, would be sold so easily (and for 40 years!).

And here’s a photo from May 2023, showing McCOL in a Korean 7-Eleven.

It’s being sold in 7-Eleven as a regular item. There’s no impression of it being some shady beverage.

Here’s a can of McCOL in the 350ml size.

Drin-kun, who checked locally, found that McCOL is available in both 250ml and 350ml sizes. The fact that it comes in different sizes shows that it still has a reasonable amount of popularity.

McCOL’s Availability in Other Countries

In July 2023, I found McCOL at a large Korean food supermarket in Canada.

This wasn’t the same McCOL from Korea; it was a version with packaging specifically designed for the Canadian market. You can see the “Retro Edition” label in the top left corner, the “8.45 fl oz” marking, and ingredient information in English. It was properly localized for the Canadian market, just like the McCOL sold in Japan. However, I didn’t see it anywhere else, so it seems to have little market share outside of Korean supermarkets.

In November 2023, I found McCOL at a Korean supermarket in Los Angeles, selling 6 cans for $5.

Strangely, there’s a “CALL OF DUTY” label, but it doesn’t seem to be part of a game collaboration. The nutritional information is printed in American specifications, and with such a low price, it’s likely that it’s produced in the U.S. in small batches.

Was McCOL Only Considered "The Worst Drink in the World" as a Joke in Japan?

After McCOL’s release in Korea, it became explosively popular, prompting major Korean beverage companies (such as Hite Beverage, Coca-Cola Korea, and Lotte Chilsung Beverage) to release similar products, creating a boom. It seemed strange to me that a beverage considered to be just a "punishment drink" would lead to such a surge of similar products from major companies. If it really had the reputation of being unpleasant, there’s no way they’d all jump on the bandwagon to create copies.

Taste is subjective, so it’s up to individual preference, but after trying it, I couldn’t imagine McCOL being the world’s worst drink.

Looking at reviews of McCOL 6PACK sold on Amazon in the U.S., it’s interesting to note that there’s none of the "disgusting" or "novelty drink" talk that is common in Japan.

Here’s a screenshot with a Japanese translation of those reviews.

There have been a few incredibly unpleasant energy drinks released in Japan in the past, so I wonder if McCOL’s taste has somehow become a kind of urban legend in Japan... For those curious about McCOL’s flavor, I recommend trying it on domestic Amazon or during a trip to Korea.
⇒McCOL on Amazon

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