# What gives Dr. Pepper its unique taste? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325 "2001-09-28T15:58:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![duffman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@duffman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffman)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/1 "2001-09-28T15:58:13Z")
I was just drinking a can and the question came to mind. The can says artificial and natural flavors and I couldn’t find anything on the net about what it actually is. Anyone got the straight dope? Thanks ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/2 "2001-09-28T16:02:19Z")
Almonds? The flavor is rather reminiscent of Amaretto. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/3 "2001-09-28T16:10:26Z")
Almonds? And here I’ve been thinking it’s flavored with the same stuff they put in pink bubblegum… ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/4 "2001-09-28T16:10:37Z")
To be very honest…its plums. I will look for a cite, but I have heard it form one or more different sources in the past 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![Niobium\_Knight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@Niobium\_Knight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Niobium_Knight)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/5 "2001-09-28T16:16:25Z")
you know i find Cherry Coke smells of marzipan, which is of coarse almond based. Dr Pepper has a slightly similar taste/smell, but not so marzipanish so i reckon it must be plum. ---
**Author:** ![Threadkiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@Threadkiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Threadkiller)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/6 "2001-09-28T16:29:00Z")
Oddly enough I found this through a google search. From: The Straight Dope Mailbag [Does the soft drink Dr Pepper contain prunes?](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mdrpepper.html) The short answer is no. From said article: > [@](#): > > What’s in it? The Dr Pepper company denies cherry and kola flavorings. They also deny the other rumors that Dr Pepper now or ever contained prunes, black pepper, chili pepper, bell pepper, peppermint, or prune juice. According to William Poundstone in his book Big Secrets, "the formula contains 23 ingredients and is locked in two bank vaults. Four people know it. Read the article. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/7 "2001-09-28T16:30:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Niobium Knight \* > **you know i find Cherry Coke smells of marzipan, which is of coarse almond based.** Here’s a test, open a jar of maraschino cherries and a bottle of almond extract. Close your eyes and smell them, no difference. A lot of so-called cherry flavored items are actually almond scented. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/8 "2001-09-28T20:01:43Z")
I always thought Dr. Pepper tasted of cherries. So I guess almond it is! Many soft drinks have secret forulae. This is primarily because you can’t patent a taste. (Any IP lawyers out there to confirm this?) Were the formula to Dr. Pepper or Coke to get out, anybody could make the stuff and sell it on the cheap, the same way Parfums de Coeur does with CK One and other scents. In fact (after some initial safety-based jitters), I’d think this would be a much greater threat than in the perfume market. Perfumes are thought to be classy, so people aren’t that likely to get the generic brand even though it’s exactly the same. Drinks, esp. non-alcoholic ones, don’t have that buffer. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/9 "2001-09-28T20:07:30Z")
Almonds and cherries are, of course, very closely related (I too have always thought there was little difference between cherry and almond flavours in commercial products) ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/10 "2001-09-28T20:13:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cliffy \* > \*\*Were the formula to Dr. Pepper or Coke to get out, anybody could make the stuff and sell it on the cheap, the same way Parfums de Coeur does with CK One and other scents. In fact (after some initial safety-based jitters), I’d think this would be a much greater threat than in the perfume market. Perfumes are thought to be classy, so people aren’t that likely to get the generic brand even though it’s exactly the same. Drinks, esp. non-alcoholic ones, don’t have that buffer. > > –Cliffy \*\* Actually, this already goes on, to some extent. Think of every generic cola out there, or Wal-Mart’s “Dr. Thunder” ripoff. People still go for names w/ soda, too, I think. ---
**Author:** ![WindFish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a183cd/32.png) [@WindFish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WindFish)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/11 "2001-09-28T20:36:04Z")
As mentioned in the Staff Report linked to above, Dr Pepper has no period after the ‘Dr’. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/12 "2001-09-28T21:06:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cliffy \* > \*\*I always thought Dr. Pepper tasted of cherries. So I guess almond it is! > > Many soft drinks have secret forulae. This is primarily because you can’t patent a taste. (Any IP lawyers out there to confirm this?) Were the formula to Dr. Pepper or Coke to get out, anybody could make the stuff and sell it on the cheap, the same way Parfums de Coeur does with CK One and other scents. In fact (after some initial safety-based jitters), I’d think this would be a much greater threat than in the perfume market. Perfumes are thought to be classy, so people aren’t that likely to get the generic brand even though it’s exactly the same. Drinks, esp. non-alcoholic ones, don’t have that buffer.\*\* I doubt the a taste can be patented, but the process of manufacturing that taste can. ---
**Author:** ![ClintPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@ClintPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClintPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/13 "2001-09-28T21:20:11Z")
In University we would make a drink that tastes like Dr Pepper, it’s ingredients were: 1 half glass beer 1 half glass coke (also made without just beer) 1 shot of amaretto One would drop the amaretto shot glass into the beer/coke concoction, and then drink it as fast as possible. It did taste amazingly like Dr Pepper. The point is I’m with whoever said amaretto. Do not try this at home. (Unless you want to.) ---
**Author:** ![ClintPhoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@ClintPhoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClintPhoenix)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/14 "2001-09-28T21:21:36Z")
Oops, should read “…without COKE, just beer” ---
**Author:** ![JillGat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@JillGat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JillGat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2001, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-gives-dr-pepper-its-unique-taste/84325/15 "2001-09-28T22:29:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WindFish \* > \*\*As mentioned in the Staff Report linked to above, Dr Pepper has no period after the ‘Dr’. \*\* Thank you.