We’re settling the debate with a blind taste test.
People have strong opinions about their Coca-Cola, from avowed Diet Coke drinkers, to those who won’t touch any Coke product unless it’s poured from a fountain.

In the South, Southerners swear by the superior taste of Coca-Cola in the old-school glass bottles. It’s a little harder to find than a can or plastic bottle, but you can still buy glass-bottled Coke at most major grocery stores, although it costs much more than its original five-cent price tag.

Chalk it up to nostalgia, or follow the science that says there may be some truth to its supposed purer taste, we wanted to test the theory. We conducted a blind taste test with a few of our editors in which we sampled Coca-Cola from the can, a glass bottle, and a plastic bottle, none the wiser as to which was which. While it was a close competition, one product came out on top, and it surprised us all.

How We Tested
We asked eight Southern Living editors to sample soda from three cups, marked A, B, and C. Each cup contained American Coca-Cola, but from three different original containers: a can, a plastic bottle, and a glass bottle. In the blind taste test, each editor was asked to rank the three based on preference and share any tasting notes they had.