Best Truly Flavor: We Ranked 24 Truly Seltzer Flavors

There are a lot of Truly flavors out there. I know that because I tasted 24 of the most popular Truly drink flavors—and there are still more out there. Since it launched in 2016, Truly has exploded. According to the alcohol delivery site Drizly, it was the number two top-selling hard seltzer in 2022, just after White Claw. I’ve had a lot of White Claw (because of my job) and I can confidently say after this taste test that Truly, while not the best hard seltzer on the market, is better than White Claw. 

But within the lineup of Truly seltzer flavors, there are definitely some clunkers. 

I sipped my way through 24 different Truly flavors, evaluating them by flavor alone. Personally, I don’t like anything that’s super sweet but I recognize that a lot of people do. So, I didn’t ding anything for being too crazy sweet as long as there was still some good fruit flavor in the mix. I was looking for vibrancy and freshness. Above all, I was looking for Truly flavors that were refreshing. The best Truly flavor should be one you reach for on a hot day and absolutely crush. It’s not a heady Cabernet. It’s an alcoholic soft drink masquerading as a Vodka Soda. The results of this taste test really shook me. I really bet you can’t guess what took the number one spot. You’ll just have to read through the full list (or, I guess, just scroll to the bottom, but come on, read it). Here are 24 Truly hard seltzer flavors ranked from worst to best.

Strawberry Lime

This reminded me a lot of children’s shampoo. The smell is pleasant enough, but just as you wouldn’t want to actually drink shampoo, no matter how good it smells, this also isn’t a great drinking experience. 

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

1.5/10

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Fruit Punch

We’ve moved past the shampoo but we aren’t leaving the bathroom. This one smelled like that opaque pink soap that comes out of dispensers in many public restrooms. It’s very, very sweet and tastes similar to the punch I had in college.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

2/10

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Berry Punch

This Fruit Punch Truly is better than the classic Fruit Punch because it tastes like there might be some actual fruit flavor involved. If you want something seriously sweet—really, really, bone-achingly sweet—then opt for the Fruit Punch mixed pack. But leave the classic and the Berry Punch for last—there are better Fruit Punch Truly flavors in the mix.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

2.5/10

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Passion Fruit

Passion fruit is such a tough flavor to replicate. And this Truly flavor doesn’t manage to do it. It doesn’t taste like passion fruit, which is tangy and rich and tropical. This mostly just tastes sweet.

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Rating:

2.5/10

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Blackberry Lemon

All I tasted was tanginess. Not even lemony tanginess—just tanginess. Blackberry is another hard flavor to get right, so kudos to Truly for even trying. I appreciate the swings Truly flavors take.

Credit: Merc / Drizly

Rating:

3/10

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Strawberry Hibiscus

I love the idea of a strawberry hibiscus Margarita-style seltzer. It sounds like the perfect hammock drink. But mostly this just tastes like fake sweetener. It desperately wants a squeeze of lime.

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Rating:

3.5/10

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Tropical Punch

There’s more depth of flavor to the Tropical Punch than was evident in the Fruit Punch or Berry Punch. It’s still quite sweet but there’s more to it than just that. There’s a lot of mango nectar flavor. But imagine adding lots of sugar to mango nectar. That about approximates it.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

4/10

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Pineapple Cranberry

Here’s another combo that sounds incredible and maybe one day it will be. But, at the moment, the pineapple flavor tastes too much like cooked pineapple to make this a really refreshing drink. And there’s no trace of cranberry. If you handed me one of these Truly hard seltzer flavors I would drink it. But I wouldn’t ask for another.

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Rating:

4.5/10

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Citrus Punch

The Citrus Punch is the best of the Fruit Punch Truly flavors. It tastes like a big, premade gallon of citrus punch you might buy at the grocery store—something generic without any real brand identity or actual fruit juice.

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Rating:

4.5/10

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Watermelon Breeze

Like many watermelon-flavored seltzers, this one tastes like sparkling water in which a Watermelon Jolly Rancher has been sitting for a few hours. It doesn’t taste like fresh watermelon, but it’s also not cloyingly sweet. If you like fake watermelon flavor, this is probably the best Truly flavor for you.

Credit: Merc / Kroger

Rating:

5/10

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Lime

I’m sad to report this was a bit of a let down. I thought lime was an easy flavor. Alas, it tasted like cooked lime—and not even a lot of it. It didn’t really taste like much, to be honest. It’s strictly fine, I just wanted it to be better. I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed. 

Credit: Merc / Drizly

Rating:

5.5/10

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Wild Berry

The Wild Berry Truly is a straight down the middle flavor. It’s not the best Truly flavor. It’s not the worst Truly flavor. Do I think you should immediately run out and try it? Nope. But if you see one in a sea of worse things in a cooler, go ahead and drink it. You’ll be safe.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

6/10

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Classic Lime

If you like to drink straight Margarita mix (absolutely no shade) then you’ll probably enjoy this Truly flavor. It’s like fizzy Margarita mix (the lime green kind, not the kind made with fresh fruit) with a little bit more sugar.  

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Rating:

6.5/10

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Blueberry

Look, the Blueberry Truly is way better than I thought it would be. It’s bright and acidic—like an actual blueberry. I applaud Truly for creating a blueberry flavor that really tastes like blueberry. But I still didn’t love this Truly flavor. It lacked the balance of acidity.

Credit: Merc / Total Wine

Rating:

6.5/10

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Citrus Squeeze

We have now entered the actually good portion of the Truly flavors ranking. Welcome. Citrus Squeeze tastes like a nice blend of citrus fruits—maybe lemon with a touch of tangerine? It’s an easy drinking hard seltzer that I would be happy to sip at a BBQ.

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Rating:

7/10

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Mango

I dropped a can of this Truly flavor in my kitchen and it exploded. Afterwards, the kitchen smelled pretty darn good. The mango comes through as dried mango or mango candy, but it’s not too sweet. It’s rich and tropical. Good for drinking and scenting your kitchen.

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Rating:

7.5/10

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Cherry

I like fake cherry in Coke and that’s what this Truly flavor tastes like. My husband (who did me the great favor of tasting all 24 of these along with me) actually thought this was tied for first. It’s a great cherry-flavored hard seltzer. But I think there are other flavors that just have a bit more to offer.  

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Rating:

7.5/10

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Peach Tangerine

Peach and tangerine? Together in one flavor? The flavor scientists at the Truly factory really do like to have fun. The two flavors together almost taste like mango, but mostly it’s fresh and fruity and not too sweet at all. It’s very easy to drink and doesn’t have any fake sweetener aftertaste. This is the best Truly flavor for brunch. Pair it with pancakes.

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Rating:

8/10

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Mango Chili

Out of all the Truly hard seltzer flavors I tried, this was the only one that included a non-fruit flavoring. And you really do get an actual hit of chili at the end (though it’s not seriously spicy at all). It’s super tangy and bright. It’s much more like a canned cocktail than a seltzer.

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Rating:

8/10

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Cherry Lime

This tasted like a diet Lime Rickey to me. There’s good cherry flavor and nice bright lime flavor. It’s not very sweet at all, though, so if that’s your priority, I’d direct you back up to the fruit punch line-up.

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Rating:

8.5/10

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Lemon

I didn’t really taste any actual lemon in this Truly flavor. But what I did taste, I liked. It’s like if Sprite made seltzer. It’s lemon-lime soda—but it’s a Truly hard seltzer! Science really is amazing.

Credit: Merc / Drizly

Rating:

8.5/10

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Grapefruit

I could drink a lot of this refreshing, spritzy, zippy hard seltzer. Out of all the citrus Truly hard seltzer flavors, this one tastes the most like it’s met an actual citrus fruit. It tastes like a Vodka Soda with a squeeze of grapefruit juice.

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Rating:

9/10

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Pineapple

Get me a pool floaty ASAP. This is a pool drink for sure. It’s practically a fizzy Piña Colada. There’s lots of sweet pineapple flavor that makes it taste like a tropical drink you could get at a resort. It’s the best Truly flavor for summertime sipping.

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Rating:

9/10

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Watermelon Cucumber

I can’t believe this is the best Truly flavor. But it really, really is. It’s tangy, it’s sweet. It’s good! It’s gulpable. It’s all thanks to that zip of lime (this is Margarita-style, after all). If you poured this on ice people might think it was a real cocktail you made yourself. Try it!

Credit: Merc / Drizly

Rating:

9.5/10

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