Taiwan is the origin of our next sarsaparilla. This HeySong Sarsaparilla is the most popular sarsi drink in Taiwan. Only the regular flavour was available in Sydney although it does also come with added guarana extract or salt. Energy drinks aren’t our kind of drinks and the addition of salt is a bit odd., so it’s just as well.

The beverage was highly carbonated with a transparent pale brown colour – the lightest we’ve come across for sarsaparilla – with an intensely sweet and strong wintergreen nose. Consumed ice-cold, a bubblegum flavoured sweetness emerged ahead of a strong wintergreen body that developed with a prominent bitterness towards the end of the body, which is emphasised by the high carbonation and lingered as an unpleasant bitter bubblegum flavour long on the palate with a gentle warmth. If the F&N Sarsi tasted like the scent of Tiger Balm White, then this one has the extra kick from the extra warming Tiger Balm Red.

This HeySong Sarsaparilla contained 330ml. It was bottled in Taiwan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2017.