Fentiman's Curiosity Cola

As a self confessed cola addict, there are plenty of products out there to keep my addiction well fed; the ubiquitous Coca Cola, plenty of Pepsi and an abundance of own-brand fizzes. Add to that the new lemon and vanilla variants, diet drinks and cola flavoured sweets and you would think that the market is pretty much covered. Saturated in fact. Well, so did I, until I came across a whole new player in the cola market whilst on my travels over Easter – Fentiman’s Curiosity Cola. I must admit I was curious. How could this intriguingly named drink possible be any different to all the others out ... more

Earlier this year, I went shopping with my two best friends. We stopped for a drink and a slice of cake (as us girlies do when the feet start to hurt) I asked for a coke in this little cafe we went to in Letchworth, and was offered some Fentimans Curiosity Cola instead, as they didn't serve regular colas. Instantly I was a convert, and began to hunt down the Fentimans brand wherever I went. I was so smitten that I got the waiter to sell me four unopened bottles to bring home. I examined the details on the bottle and saw that the company was based in Newcastle, so I was a mite surprised on my ... more

I always promised myself "no food reviews"; forgive me if I ramble. There is definitely a review secreted in here somewhere. Tucked away in the haughty hinterland between the ready meals and the dairy section (bookended by the cooked meats) that is "the second to last aisle in Waitrose" lies one of the great inventions of the 20th Century. The Amber (if you're quite profoundly colour blind) Nectar that is Fentiman's Curiosity Cola. It has to be said; it actually compares pretty well with most of the other supposedly great inventions of the 20th Century. I mean, television gave us Noel's House ... more

I first came across Fentiman's products about 10yrs or so ago I guess, when my Dad ordered in some of their ginger beer from his Health food supplier Brewhursts (now trading as "Tree of Life")........... from what I recall it didn't sell that quickly (I probably ended up drinking most of it), but it was damn good stuff............ several years later after going without, and making do with IDRIS + "D&G Old Jamaica" ginger beer, one night online a couple of months ago I got thinking "what the f*** was that one the old g*t used to stock called.............. Botanically brewed stuff......?". A ... more

One day back in 2003 I was wondering through my local Waitrose store when I chanced upon Fentiman's Curiosity Cola, sitting on the shelf in its nice old-style little glass bottle. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I am occasionally a sucker for olde-worlde packaging, so instead of thinking "Oh look, another marketing scheme preying on people's inability to contain their feelings of nostalgia" I actually (being quite bored) though, "Oh what the hell" and bought a bottle of it. It's not cheap. The 275ml bottle cost 99p (Waitrose had a promotion recenty where you could get 2 for £1.50 but that's still ... more