Flavor secrets: Why do Coke and Pepsi taste different?
A highly interactive session on building flavors hosted by FlavorSense president Leslie Norris and Senspire president Gregory Willis explored the age-old question: Why does Coke taste different to Pepsi? (Among other things.)
The long answer is very complex, but the short one is that Coke has stronger vanilla and cinnamon notes, and Pepsi has stronger lime and Kola nut notes, said Norris, who 'built' up a basic cola flavor using cinnamon, orange oil, distilled lime oil, vanilla extract, and Kola nut flavor.
Put them both through a gas chromatograph and you can see clear differences, added Willis.