Bubble gum flavor is one most often described as banana-y with hints of strawberry or cherry. Some flavor iterations take on citrusy notes of orange or lemon, and some further are piquant with flavors reminiscent of cinnamon. In my cocktail books there are two recipes that called themselves "Bubble Gum" and I had to give them both a try.

I have a memory in my brain from my fraternal days that pictures a drink that I described as tasting exactly like bubble gum. It had a hot pink hue to it, it had a creamy texture, and it tasted exactly like those Dubble Bubble gum wads that you can pick up at the candy store. My attempts were to re-create that memory, and unfortunately, I failed.

Both "bubble gums" do have a fruitiness to them that could be accurately described as bubblegummy. The first recipe (and the cocktail on the left) was very spirit-forward, but did have a taste that melded together the banana and pomegranate/cherry notes (from the grenadine) together. The second recipe, which utilized melon liqueur was definitely less spirit-intense than the first, but it was kinda just a mess of fruit flavors that didn't keep very cohesively.

The colors of either drink unfortunately didn't measure up either, and even adding an obscene amount of grenadine didn't help.

Ah well, if only something out there that wasn't bubble gum could give me that bubble gum flavor sigh