Our Favorite Mountain Dew Flavor Was An Absolute Blast To Sip

Mountain Dew is a brand with more than one identity. The release of Mountain Dew Game Fuel in 2007 cemented its status as the gamer's beverage of choice, but Mountain Dew's Appalachian origins led it to also be marketed in more "outdoorsy" campaigns. But even as the brand seeks to rally its fans to "Do the DEW" in the great outdoors, there's no denying that Mountain Dew — and its many variations — are some of the sugariest sodas out there. In fact, the United Kingdom still won't carry Mountain Dew due to its controversial list of ingredients, which led to Mountain Dew being banned in over 100 countries.

Chowhound sipped seven of these overly sweet soda flavors and ranked them from worst to best in an effort to help potential buyers know which to purchase and which to avoid. Funnily enough, the list was bracketed by two Mountain Dew Baja Blast options. While the zero-sugar version was overwhelmed by the flavor of artificial sweeteners, we loved the original Baja Blast's tantalizing fruity flavor, which keeps you guessing. Is it blueberry? Pineapple? Although the bottle promises a tropical lime flavor, the ingredients don't reveal a specific answer since everything is muddled together as "natural and artificial flavor."

Although you can now purchase Mountain Dew Baja Blast in retail stores, the flavor was originally an exclusive 2004 collaboration with Taco Bell. And, in 2024, the two companies celebrated their 20th "Bajaversary" with a series of fun promotions. As evidenced by Baja Blast's ongoing popularity, Taco Bell made a sound business decision by negotiating exclusivity. But what makes this flavor so special? When taste testing Baja Blast, Chowhound initially approached it with skepticism. After all, Mountain Dew is famously citrus flavored, so "Tropical Lime" doesn't really seem that distinct. However, from aroma to aftertaste, the whole drinking experience vastly exceeded our expectations. 

Not only does Baja Blast smell downright amazing but the flavor is surprisingly complex too, with a medley of tropical fruit notes beyond just the lime. In addition to the classic tropical lime flavored Baja Blast, PepsiCo has crafted other Baja flavors, like Baja Cabo Citrus, released in Spring 2025. Promoted as having a tropical citrus punch flavor, the zero-sugar edition sadly also scored poorly on our Mountain Dew ranking. Past flavors include Baja Mango Gem, Baja Gold (pineapple), and even a mystery flavor called Baja Deep Dive.

If you find yourself at a Taco Bell, stay away from the zero-sugar Baja Blast, but don't miss the chance to order a Baja Blast as it was originally intended to be consumed: alongside your favorite order. And, if you're able to order a Baja Blast Freeze (a slushy version of the drink), even better.