Discontinued Mountain Dew Flavors You'll Never Drink Again

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While Mountain Dew may not be everyone's cup of tea, there's no denying that it has a solid cult following. Seriously, how many other sodas have been turned into a Doritos flavor?! The sugary soda's original flavor has been powering video game enthusiasts and late-night study binges for decades now, and it shows few signs of falling out of fashion. 

The original Mountain Dew was originally created as a mixer for whiskey, and the flavor has now spun off into dozens of unique concoctions and combinations. Some, like Mountain Dew Baja Blast and Code Red, have stood the test of time, and they have even rivaled the original flavor in terms of popularity. 

Others flavors have come and gone a few times over the years, while some have quietly disappeared into the Mountain Dew mist. Whether you prefer the original  Mountain Dew flavor or love sampling new and seasonal versions, there are multiple discontinued Mountain Dew flavors that you'll probably never drink again.

These days, it seems like a year simply cannot go by without Mountain Dew releasing a funky new flavor. In 2022, Mountain Dew released Mountain Dew Legend, a Buffalo Wild Wings Exclusive, and Mtn Dew Purple Thunder, a Circle K exclusive, as well as two new flavors of Mountain Dew Baja Blast; Baja Mango Gem and Baja Gold (via The Impulsive Buy).

Mountain Dew Red was reportedly released in 1988 (via Mountain Dew Wiki). As the name suggests, the drink was red in color and featured a tagline that read "Fruit-flavored Mountain Dew." Which fruit exactly it was meant to taste like was never publicly advertised, though it was rumored to have tasted a little like Code Red or Mountain Dew Citrus Cherry. 

There was also a Diet Mountain Dew Red released at the same time, but the drink didn't last long. There was at least one commercial about the drink, but otherwise, it wasn't widely advertised. The drink was discontinued the very same year (via YouTube).

When Mountain Dew Pitch Black rolled out in 2004, it was a Halloween special. The dark soda, which was actually purple rather than black, was grape-flavored and loaded with a whopping 75 grams of sugar per 20-ounce serving. But despite the odd look and sugar content, the flavor was a hit among Mountain Dew Lovers.

Mountain Dew Pitch Black came and went several times between 2004 and 2016 before it underwent a transformation that saw its flavor profile change to citrus and dark fruit. Also, in 2016, PepsiCo hosted the DEWcision 2016, a fan-vote event that pitted popular flavors Pitch Black and Baja Blast against each other (via Mountain Dew Wiki). The two flavors tied, but ultimately it was announced that Pitch Black won by half of a percent. As a result, it became Mountain Dew's newest permanent flavor later that year.

In 2019, fans began noticing that Pitch Black was disappearing from store shelves, though PepsiCo had not yet officially pulled Pitch Black. Then, in June 2022, it was officially discontinued in all markets (via Twitter). However, that same month, a trademark was filed for the MTN DEW Pitch Black logo, suggesting that the brand may have plans to bring it back in the future (via Comicbook).

Riding on the fall 2004 popularity of Pitch Black II, as well as the growing excitement about the upcoming theater premiere of "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith," Mountain Dew teamed up with gas station chain 7-Eleven to release Darth Dew in April 2005 (via Orlando Sentinel). Instead of a regular soda flavor, Darth Dew was released as a Slurpee that was available exclusively in 7-Eleven stores.

The Darth Dew Slurpee was only the second Slurpee flavor to be inspired by an actual film or TV character. The first was a yellow Under-the-Sea Pineapple Slurpee, which debuted in March 2005 ahead of the DVD release of "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie." 

The year also marked the 40th anniversary of the Slurpee. In addition to the jet-black drink, 7-Eleven stores also decorated their Slurpee machines with a Star Wars advertisement for the drink (via X-entertainment). Fans could also purchase one of four special edition Star Wars cups to put their Slurpoee in, complete with a 3D Darth Vader cup topper (via StarWars.com).

In 2019, PepsiCo announced that it would be putting a whopping 40 percent of its marketing budget towards researching young gamers (via Digiday). But the soda maker had been targeting that group long before.

Launched in 2005, new flavors of the Game Fuel line of Mountain Dew are often released in conjunction with a new video game's debut (via Mountain Dew Wiki). Citrus Cherry is one of the line's most popular flavors. It was first released in 2007 alongside the release of Xbox 360's newest hit, "Halo 3" (via Mountain Dew Wiki). The first run lasted for 12 weeks before it was discontinued. 

Since then, it appeared with branding for "World of Warcraft" in 2009, "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" in 2011, "Halo 4" in 2012, and "Every2Minutes in 2013," before being released as a permanent flavor in 2014. Even after that, the drink's bottle was changed several times for more promotional game tie-ins.

However, in 2022, it was announced that Wispak, the last bottler of Game Fuel Citrus Cherry, would stop producing it, leaving the popular beverage officially discontinued: At least for a while. It's already seen one last resurgence in early August 2022, when Mountain Dew teamed up with Dr. Disrespect to release a limited edition Championship Citrus Cherry (via Chew boom). Collectible 16-ounce cans were only available online and sold out quickly, leaving the drink unavailable yet again.

In March of 2009, PepsiCo announced an upcoming release of two new Game Fuel flavors, both with themes to tie into the online multiplayer role-playing game World of Warcraft (via BevReview). One flavor was Mountain Dew Citrus Cherry, which had previously debuted in 2007, and was back for one of many future returns (via Mountain Dew Wiki). For this release, the drink was renamed "Mountain Dew Game Fuel Horde Red," in reference to the group of creatures present in the online game.

The other was Mountain Dew Game Fuel Alliance Blue. This bottled Dew had a bright, cobalt blue color and a flavor described as "wild fruit." Both Alliance Blue and Citrus Cherry were available for just 10 weeks in the summer of 2009. Unlike most Mountain Dew video game promotions, this one wasn't designed to promote a new game release. "World of Warcraft" had debuted in 2004. Instead, the campaign was simply a promotion for the game. This was also the first time that the original Game Fuel, Citrus Cherry, was released alongside a companion flavor. Mountain Dew Alliance Blue has never made a reappearance following its initial 10-week run.

Following the popular first campaign, PepsiCo launched the second DEWmocracy voting event in July of 2009 (via Mountain Dew Wiki). In this campaign, seven new flavors of Mountain Dew were released, and fans in 17 cities had a chance to vote on which flavor should join the brand's permanent lineup. At the same time that fans were voting for their favorite flavor, taste testers in the newly formed "Dew labs" were also testing out the seven unique new flavors (via Mountain Dew Wiki). The seven flavors were ultimately narrowed to three.

Mountain Dew White Out ultimately won the competition after going head-to-head with Mountain Dew Distortion and Mountain Dew Typhoon. White Out had earned 44 percent of the votes, with Distortion earning just 16 percent. Distortion looked and tasted very similar to Mountain Dew, with a bright green color (via Every View). A darker label helped to set the two apart, but ultimately the similarity likely hindered the flavor's performance in the competition. It was later released as a Freeze flavor at Taco Bell from 2013 to 2014 but has been discontinued ever since.

Mountain Dew Game Fuel Tropical is yet another flavor in a long line of discontinued Mountain Dew Game Fuel flavors that you may never taste again. This drink was released in 2011 as a part of a promotional campaign for the newly released "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3." It was described as "Dew with a charge of tropical flavor." This tropical-flavored drink was dark green and was sold in a plastic bottle, unlike today's Game Fuel drink, which comes in a can. 

A related but different flavor called Game Fuel (Tropical Smash) was created in 2009 as part of seven new prototype flavors created for the DEWmocracty II campaign.  Game Fuel Tropical Smash or flavor #736 was tested by members of the Dew Labs but ultimately didn't make it into that campaign's voter competition. Game Fuel Tropical Smash or Flavor #736 was released alongside Arctic Burst (a Slurpee flavor) in 2017. Neither of these flavors are currently sold by Mountain Dew.  

Mountain Dew Johnson City Gold was another promotional flavor that debuted in 2012 (via Mountain Dew Wiki). This non-alcoholic drink was a malted version of regular Mountain Dew, and it was inspired by a special malt mix that the original creators of Mountain Dew, Barney and Ally Hartman, would produce on special occasions. It was named after Johnson City, Tennessee, where Mountain Dew was first bottled.

In July 2012, the flavor for released for a testing period. Then, in August 2012, fans were asked to vote to rename this Mountain Dew flavor for each of six regions across the country. The idea was that the drink would have a unique name inspired by the region and would be sold under that name in that area. After the voting ended, Johnson City Gold was released under different names and designs as requested by fans before being discontinued.

Game Fuel Electrifying Berry hit the scene almost six years after the original Game Fuel flavor, Citrus Cherry, was released (via Mountain Dew Wiki). This drink was yet another promotional, branded Mountain Dew drink. 

The drink's release coincided with the release of two video games; Ryse: Son of Rome and Kinect Sports Rivals. This Game Fuel drink was bright violet in color. It was touted as a combination of the Goji Berry and Strawberry Mountain Dew flavors. The Game Fuel flavors that were released in 2013 were accompanied by a promotion in which customers could win Xbox Ones based on codes placed underneath bottle caps.

This flavor has been discontinued since 2013. But you can enjoy a similar flavor today. Game Fuel Electrifying Berry has been compared to Mountain Dew Goji Citrus Strawberry, which was released in 2017 and is still available as of September 2022.

In 2014, yet another installment in the Call of Duty franchise, Advanced Warfare, was released. The release of the game was accompanied by yet another promotional flavor of Mountain Dew Game Fuel (via Mountain Dew Wiki). 

Game Fuel Lemonade was a brand new flavor and was released with the Call of Duty branding alongside a re-release of the popular Game Fuel Citrus Cherry (via Facebook). The drink looked a lot like real lemonade, and it had a lemon flavor alongside the usual sugary, caffeinated punch that is characteristic of Game Fuel drinks. 

But the classic flavor taste of this drink wasn't enough to keep establish it as a permanent Mountain Dew fixture, and it was discontinued later that year, and it has not been re-released since. However, the Game Fuel Citrus Cherry flavor has been available since 2014, and it continues to be sold to this very day. 

Mountain Dew, perhaps in an attempt to cash in on the  craft beer craze, released its limited edition Dewshine in 2015 (via Mountain Dew Wiki). Despite the name and the fact that it came in 12-ounce glass bottles that were packaged in four-pack cardboard carriers, the drink wasn't alcoholic. 

Instead, it was a clear-colored, citrus-flavored Mountain Dew made with real sugar. The only difference in flavor from the original Mountain Dew, besides the real sugar, was that Dewshine did not contain orange juice in the recipe.

Dewshine was available until 2017 and was only ever released in glass bottles, as well as limited edition glass jugs available only in select Circle K stores. However, the drink faced some backlash: It was accused of intentionally blurring the line between alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks (via USA Today). Some asserted that the drink had been deliberately packaged like beer to appeal to a younger demographic. 

Mountain Dew often carries out testing on college and university campuses: This is a trick that the brand has been using for many years. Many of the brand's funky flavors, like Dewitos, are offered to eager college students before they hit grocery store shelves. 

This was the case for Game Fuel Mango Heat (via Mountain Dew Wiki). This drink was tested at college campuses in late 2014 under the name "Mango Habanero." However, when it was  officially released as a promotion for the new game, Titanfall 2, in 2016, it was renamed "Mango Heat."

Despite the name, the drink has been described as having a "weak" ginger finish and a stronger mango flavor. It was also bright orange in color. The drink disappeared later in 2016, though it was briefly released the following year in Canada. The drink was sold at 7-Eleven stores in Canada in April of 2017, and it was later discontinued.

The Mountain Dew Spiked Raspberry Lemonade was released alongside the Spiked Lemonade (via Mountain Dew Wiki). Similar to the plain flavor, this drink was a raspberry lemonade-flavored soda with a kick of prickly pear cactus juice. In Canada, the word "Spiked" was replaced with "Extra" for this drink.

The drink was pink in flavor and has it has been compared to Game Fuel Zero, also known as Charged Raspberry Lemonade. This version of Spiked Mountain Dew also made its way into Taco Bell locations as both a regular soda and a Freeze flavor. This drink also appeared on a YouTube channel along with multiple other Mountain Dew flavors.

Similar to the Spiked Lemonade, it was replaced by the return of the Diet Baja Blast, which is now called the Baja Blast Zero Sugar. By 2018, the Mountain Dew Spiked Raspberry Lemonade was completely discontinued from all locations and outlets.

The Mountain Dew Arctic Burst flavor originally debuted without the Game Fuel label (via Mountain Dew Wiki). In 2006, it appeared as an exclusive Slurpee flavor, available at 7-Eleven convenience stores. It was promoted alongside the release of the film Superman Returns. It was sold with flavors like Kryptonite Ice. Mountain Dew Arctic Burst and Kryptonite Ice were both discontinued later that year.

But just over 11 years later, it returned, this time in bottles, as the Game Fuel Arctic Burst Mountain Dew flavor. The drink was released in conjunction with the video game Middle-earth: Shadow of War. As a Slurpee, the drink had a watermelon and honeydew flavor. In the second release, the flavor was blueberry. In both versions, the coloring of this flavor was a very bright cobalt blue. The flavor has some commonalities with the Kickstart Recharge Energizing Blueberry Pomegranate flavor. 

In 2017, PepsiCo announced a number of unique holiday-themed drinks for the 2017 holiday season (via Adage). Some flavors, like the Salted Carmel Pepsi, don't exactly inspire warm and fuzzy feelings. There's something extremely strange and off-putting about combining salted caramel with Pepsi. The flavor combination certainly sounds pretty nauseating. 

By comparison, Mountain Dew Holiday Brew was pretty tame. The drink was a combination of Mountain Dew Code Red and the original flavor of Mountain Dew. If this doesn't sound like a festive drink, consider the colors of the two drinks: Red and Green. 

The result was an electric red-orange color and a bright, eye-catching red and green label that was only available through the holiday season. This was a fairly iconic and festive drink that was quite appealing. While Mountain Dew has produced other holiday-themed beverages since then, this exact formula has yet to make a reappearance.

Mountain Dew also released the White Label, which is similar to the Black Label variety (via Mountain Dew Wiki). Mountain Dew White Label, just like its Black Label counterpart, was first released on college campuses. It was tested in January of 2017, and it was officially released later that year. Also, like the Black Label, the White Label was only available in 16-ounce cans.

The bright white can has green accents. The drink has a pineapple and grapefruit flavor that has been described on the can as Dew that has been crafted with a "tropical citrus" flavor, which sounds highly refreshing. The drink is also defined as a "mysteriously exotic Dew," which further elevates the enigmatic of this drink. While White Label was released later than the original Black Label, it was also discontinued in 2019. It would be nice if this drink made a return, especially since it was fairly popular among fans. 

Mountain Dew Ice was rolled out in January of 2018, complete with a unique launch event in Brooklyn that featured an interactive ice installation (via BevNet). This eye-catching clear drink was marketed as featuring fresh lemon and lime juice and a crisp taste. It was marketed quite heavily, and it was available in cans, bottles, and as a fountain soda at Circle K locations (via Mountain Dew Wiki).

The drink looked and tasted a lot like most clear sodas, including Sprite and PepsiCo's own Sierra Mist. Perhaps because the market already had plenty of other clear lemon-lime sodas, this flavor didn't perform very well. It disappeared from store shelves in early 2020. But if you're one of the few who loved this flavor, you're in luck; the drink is still available exclusively in India. The version that is sold in India is white in color, along with a refreshing lemony taste. 

Mountain Dew White Out is yet another of the seven nameless flavors that was the result of the DEWmocracy II campaign flavor tests (via Mountain Dew Wiki). This Mountain Dew was released to the public in 2010. It was originally known as flavor #493. White Out actually made it into the lineup from the campaign and went head-to-head against two other flavors in a contest to name the next permanent flavor. The two other flavors that made it through the taste test included Typhoon and Distortion Mountain Dew flavors. 

White Out is described as having a smooth citrus flavor; more specifically, a Yuzu lemongrass taste. Fans of the flavor described it as tasting a lot like Sprite during the original voting campaign. The drink also is white in terms of its coloring. But despite these claims, White Out won the competition and became a permanent flavor until it was discontinued in 2020 (via Twitter). White Out, along with some other discontinued flavors, is still produced in specific parts of the U.S. 

Mountain DEW-S-A is far from the brand's only attempt at a patriotic beverage. Liberty Brew was first released in the summer of 2019, and it was described as having a  "signature 50 flavors blend" in celebration of the 50 states (via Mtn Dew). 

The promotional flavor was at the center of the brand's DEWnited States program. It was bottled in special edition cans with 50 available different designs and graphics. Each of the graphics represented a different state.

Despite being packed with 50 flavors, the result was a fruity concoction that was compared to blue raspberry gummies in terms of taste (via Mountain Dew Wiki). Others have also described this drink as tasting like wild berry Lifesavers gummies as well as blue raspberry Krabby Patty gummies. The drink stayed on shelves throughout the summer, then returned the following year for another seasonal run. The drink was re-released in 2020.

PepsiCo, riding on the back of the ever-popular Taco Bell-exclusive Baja Blast, released three different flavors of the drink in the summer of 2021 (via Mountain Dew Wiki). Mountain Dew called the release the "Summer of Baja," and it included some brand new Baja Blast flavors:  Baja Flash, the Baja Blast, Baja Punch, and the Baja Blast Zero Sugar. 

The Baja Flash was a new Freeze flavor that was available exclusively at Taco Bell locations, while the Baja Blast Zero Sugar was a zero-sugar version of the original Baja Blast flavor (via Chew Boom).

One of the brand new flavors was a bright, red-orange drink called Mountain Dew Baja Punch. Described as having a tropical punch flavor, it featured hints of orange, cherry, and pineapple. The flavor was available in 12-packs of cans and 20-ounce bottles and stayed on the shelves from mid-June through September of 2021.

Mountain dew Cake-Smash is a flavor you might never taste again. In fact, unless you were a lucky winner or quick to visit the Dew Store after its release, you may never have had a chance to taste it in the first place. This very limited edition flavor was first given as a reward to winners of sweepstakes. In June of 2021, participants were asked to tweet the funniest fails of 2020 (via FoodSided)

Winners received cans of the brand new flavor that tasted like cake and were bright white in color. In July of 2021, the flavor became available for purchase exclusively on the Dew Store for a limited time (via Mountain Dew Wiki). Six-packs of 16-ounce cans were available for $12 each plus shipping, and the first 250 purchases came with a free "Party Pack," which featured party cups for sipping Mountain Dew along with balloons, and a pin. 

The cans and freebies sold out within just hours of their release. They were briefly released again for a day in August, but sold out again, and have yet to be re-released since then. 

Mountain Dew Merry Mash ended its seasonal reign in 2020. A new brew replaced it the following holiday season: Mountain Dew Gingerbread Snap'd (via Mountain Dew Wiki). As the name suggests, this clear Mountain Dew flavor features a "blast of Gingerbread flavor." The festive label was illustrated with gingerbread characters illustrated with colorful icing and Santa hats. Some fans did enjoy the festive nature of this drink as well as the strong taste of gingerbread that appears in this flavor. 

Don't expect to see this flavor return for the 2022 holiday season. The holiday flavor for 2022 has already leaked online and is rumored to be a dark red colored soda called "Fruit Quake," which is a fruit-cake flavored red beverage. It is expected to be released sometime in November 2022. Additionally, the fifth holiday-themed flavor will likely have a candy cane flavoring.