LaCroix: 8 Best Flavors & 3 Alternatives + Originals

Diana Barkley (Senior Editor)

Described as being pretty much completely Midwestern, LaCroix drinks hail from Wisconsin. At time of writing there are three different product types sold by LaCroix. We’ll look into these, their best individual flavor variations, original drinks, and some of the drinks company’s less favorable inventions.

They were first introduced by a beer company in the ‘80’s, and have since grown exponentially. Nowadays, LaCroix hold 30 percent of the sparkling water sales shares in the US market. That’s double of world-famous Perrier.

But why is LaCroix, pronounced ‘La Croy’, so popular in America? For a start, they make tons of different flavors. They’re also relatively healthy, given that most LaCroix drinks contain just sparkling water and a little bit of natural flavoring such as grapefruit oil. 

Interesting Facts about LaCroix

Interesting Facts about LaCroix

We’ve already covered some of the most fun facts about LaCroix: for example that it’s pronounced ‘La Croy.’ While sounding French, it actually has a very American history.

The name stems from the place where it was first produced in the 1980s, LaCrosse in Wisconsin.

Interestingly, LaCroix was first created as a direct alternative to Perrier. Not everyone liked Perrier due to its widely regarded ‘snobbish’ advertising. LaCroix combated this by creating a drink that was marketed for every occasion.

By the early ‘90’s, LaCroix was worth around $25 million. At this point, the original owners sold LaCroix on to the National Beverage company.

LaCroix is also known for its cult following, with fans referring to themselves as ‘LaCroix Bois’ or ‘LaCroix Girls.’

At some point t-shirt designers even caught on and started designing fan gear, which seems to make the brand somewhat unique. You don’t see anyone walking around in any other sparkling water top.

The popular drinks company is also known for being very active on social media, interacting with fans and being endorsed by celebrities. Models and actresses including Lea Michele, Gwyneth Paltrow, Miranda Kerr, and Busy Philipps have been known to publicly endorse LaCroix.

What LaCroix Is

What LaCroix Is

LaCroix is a brand of sparkling water-based beverages with a range of ‘naturally essenced’ flavors.

They’re wildly popular in America for their fun style and delicious, diet-friendly flavors.

What makes LaCroix unique is the absence of unnatural additives, sugars, or sweeteners. This makes them a sort of healthy alternative to sugary sodas and artificial diet drinks.

Origin of LaCroix

Origin of LaCroix

As mentioned above, LaCroix was originally marketed as the anti-Perrier brand.

In the 1990s, when the National Beverage company bought over the brand, this became even more apparent. At this point they re-branded with more or less the opposite design strategy to Perrier — and of course it’s worked.

Today, LaCroix is one of the most popular sparkling water brands in the US.

Ingredients of Typical LaCroix Drinks

Ingredients of Typical LaCroix Drinks

LaCroix drinks contain only carbonated water without any added sodium and natural flavoring.

They contain no calories, fat, carbs, protein or, to be honest, significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. As such, LaCroix drinks are reasonably healthy and certainly not bad for you.

What LaCroix Drinks Taste Like

What LaCroix Drinks Taste Like

LaCroix sparkling waters taste like carbonated water with a touch of natural flavoring. They’re fruity and fun, healthier than sugary or artificial sodas, and easily mixed into cocktails.

Alcohol In LaCroix

Alcohol In LaCroix

LaCroix drinks don’t contain any alcohol, though they look very much like cool, night out-worthy drinks. Fun fact: LaCroix of course draws its roots to a Wisconsin family brewery, but it was alcohol-free even then.

The Best LaCroix Flavors Ranked

The Best LaCroix Flavors Ranked

LaCroix have more than 20 different flavor varieties available, with firm fans all over the country. Below are our top 7 favorite LaCroix flavors, ranked by popularity. Try them all on their own, then mix them into your favorite mocktails and cocktails.

Pamplemousse

Pamplemousse

Pamplemousse is another word for grapefruit, and the grapefruit-flavored beverage by LaCroix is arguably its most popular one. The taste is described as the perfect balance of citrus flavors and a tangy, refreshing taste.

Tangerine

Tangerine

The tangerine-flavored LaCroix tastes just like the fruit, with a pleasing tartness and citrusy tang.

It smells and tastes a little like orange peel, which just adds to its appeal. Some fans enjoy it mixed with a good gin.

What makes it unique is that the flavor actually tastes natural. If you’re expecting a Fanta-esque flavor, try the Orange variety instead.

Key Lime

Key Lime

Key Lime LaCroix reminds some fans of lime Skittles. It has a sweet-ish flavor without being actually sweetened at all.

It’s wonderfully refreshing on a hot day, and great mixed into some of your favorite drinks. Add some fresh sprigs of mint to make this one extra delicious.

Kiwi Sandia

Kiwi Sandia

Kiwi Sandia is the most popular of the Cúrate LaCroix flavors.

The kiwi and watermelon flavors work well together, and make this a perfect beverage for summer.

Just make sure you keep your cans chilled and serve with ice.

Mango

Mango

The LaCroix Mango variety is one of the most popular flavors, because it tastes fairly close to the real thing.

What’s particularly lovely about this one is that it tastes of mangoes without being sugary sweet or syrupy. If you enjoy mango flavor, give this a try.

Peach-Pear

Peach-Pear

Peach-Pear is another well-loved LaCroix flavor. It tastes a bit more like juicy pears with just a hint of peach. This makes it a lovely alternative to sweet peach iced teas and sugary sodas, particularly on hot summer days.

Cerise Limon

Cerise Limon

This one is a little more sophisticated than some of the other flavors. It mostly tastes like cherries with just a touch of lime. Add some extra lime juice or a wedge of fresh lime to your chilled Cerise Limon LaCroix to really bring out its flavoring.

Worst LaCroix Flavors

Most LaCroix flavors have firm favorites, particularly when you consult the internet’s opinionated minds. With that said, there are always some that aren’t as liked as others.

Here are three of the brand’s flavors which get the most ‘hate’ — try them anyway to see whether you agree or not.

Coconut

Coconut

Some real haters of this flavor say it tastes like the sweat of someone who has coated themselves in tanning lotion in the Miami heat. Others describe it as tasting musty and like an old staircase.

Either way, it’s not a popular one.

If you do decide to try it (perhaps because you like the smell of sun tanning oil) don’t stock up on an entire case.

Passionfruit

Passionfruit

Passionfruit LaCroix is frequently described as being a bit ‘too much’, overbearing, and just all around not pleasant.

With that said, there are fans of this one out there, and some even argue that this flavor stays carbonated longer than other flavors.

If you like a tropical-flavored, calorie free treat, this may be for you.

Pure

Pure

There’s not much we can say about LaCroix’ Pure flavor. That’s because it isn’t actually a flavor; it’s just their version of carbonated water without any added flavoring.

If that’s your thing, this may be for you. If you like flavored drinks, however, which is what LaCroix is known for, you may just wish to skip this one.

The Original LaCroix Flavors

The Original LaCroix Flavors

When LaCroix started out in 1981, they offered just six flavor varieties. Interestingly, all of these are still available today, a testament to how well-formulated they were to begin with. Here we list all six of the original flavors and our thoughts on them.

Pure

Pure

As mentioned above, Pure is just sparkling water. It tastes of nothing other than carbonated water. If that’s your thing, or if you like mixing carbonated water into your favorite drinks recipes, Pure may be for you.

Lemon

Lemon

Lemon LaCroix isn’t hugely popular nowadays. That’s because it’s frequently described as being a bit bland. If you want the refreshing bubbliness of carbonated water with a touch of lemon, you may just want to buy their Pure flavor instead and add a wedge of lemon.

Lime

Lime

Lime is a popular LaCroix drink variety. It tastes fresh and slightly citrusy, without being overpowering.

Key Lime, which is a newer variety that was introduced in 2017 is stronger and more flavorful, but the original Lime is still a good one.

Top tip: the similarly lime-y Limoncello flavor actually has quite a lot of fans, too, so it’s worth checking out as well.

Berry

Berry

Berry LaCroix tastes a little sweeter than some of the other flavors, despite having no added sugar or sweeteners.

The flavor balance is nice, and it has a good fan following. The berry flavor also makes for a tasty addition to your favorite mocktails or cocktails.

Orange

Orange

Orange gets mixed reviews. Some fans say it tastes a lot like the actual fruit, others prefer the Tangerine variety. Try both and see which you like best. Either flavor is best served ice-cold.

Cran-Raspberry

Cran-Raspberry

Cran-Raspberry LaCroix is reasonably popular. It’s one of the stronger-flavored varieties, and offers a nice mix of sweetness and tartness without actually containing any sugar or sweeteners.

It smells beautifully of raspberries, which is lovely on a warm day.

Types of LaCroix Drinks

Types of LaCroix Drinks

There are three main types of LaCroix drinks available per their website. They offer a Core range, as well as their Cúrate varieties and Nicola. Here we delve into what makes each range distinct, and why you should try them.

Core

Core

The Core range of LaCroix drinks refers to their basic flavors, such as lemon, lime, berry, or grapefruit. These are available in the well-known standard LaCroix cans, with their iconic colorful designs.

Cúrate

Cúrate is made of cherries

LaCroix’ Cúrate range features more complex, unusual flavor varieties than the Core ones. For example, you might find their popular Kiwi Sandia (kiwi with watermelon) and Cherry Lime flavors here.

Some of the fruit flavors have added herbal hints, making these ideal for mixing into cocktails or mocktails.

NiCola

NiCola

NiCola is a newer addition to the LaCroix family of drinks. It features natural flavoring and sparkling water.

Fans describe it as having a Coca Cola taste minus the sugar. Critics say it’s a little like fountain cola when the machine is nearly out of syrup. Take it or leave it, it’s a natural alternative at least.

Tasty Alternatives to LaCroix

Tasty Alternatives to LaCroix

LaCroix is widely available in the US, but you may wish to try some alternatives to compare the popular drinks. Below are some of the most popular sparkling water drinks you can enjoy besides LaCroix. Have them chilled and on their own or mixed into your favorite cocktail recipes.

Waterloo

Waterloo

Waterloo cans feature a more vintage vibe and simple ingredients. They contain no calories, sugar, sweeteners, or sodium, and are made with sparkling water and natural flavoring.

In many ways these are very similar to LaCroix drinks, though the flavors are distinct.

Enjoy varieties such as Ginger Citrus Twist, Orange Vanilla, Summer Berry, Blackberry Lemonade, Cherry Limeade, Lemon-Lime, Black Cherry, Peach, Strawberry, Pineapple, Watermelon, or Grape.

Recipe suggestions include a Refined Manhattan with the Black Cherry water, a Strawberry Cardamom Lassi (yum), or a Black Cherry Nightcap. These are perfect for both alcoholic drinks and mocktails alike.

Spindrift

Spindrift

Spindrift is another closely similar alternative to LaCroix sparkling water drinks. Their tea-based drinks are particularly unique and make for something a bit different from the usual sodas and flavored water beverages.

Try their Mango Black Tea, Mint Green Tea, or Half Tea & Half Lemon. Spindrift brand themselves as being unsweetened and containing real squeezed fruit, so they’re reasonably healthy as well.

They even have seasonal-ish varieties such as their Spiced Apple Cider, which is made with carbonated water, apple puree, citric acid, and cinnamon.

Gerolsteiner

Gerolsteiner

Gerolsteiner is from Germany, but it’s internationally popular for its tasty plain sparkling water. Allegedly this is down to the water’s unique balance of bicarbonate, calcium, and magnesium, making it harmonious and non-acidic.

In Germany they also offer an Apple Spritzer variety, though you can easily copy this by mixing the regular carbonated Gerolsteiner with a bit of apple juice.

Top tip: add in a few slices of fresh orange and sprigs of mint for an extra refreshing summer mocktail.

(30 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
You need to be a registered member to rate this.

Loading...