A reporter asked people to describe the taste of Dr Pepper. He got some really creative answers.

An innocent tweet by sports reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques erupted into a great discussion where people tried to describe the indescribable. "There's an unnamed media member in here who has never had a Dr. Pepper and asked what it tastes like," he tweeted.
"I have no idea how to describe it -- how would y'all do it?" he asked.
Marcel Louis-Jacques covers the Miami Dolphins for ESPN and appears on NFL Live, SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, and more.
The question feels like a Zen koan such as "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" or "What do you call the world?"
There's an unnamed media member in here who has never had a Dr. Pepper and asked what it tastes like.\n\nI have no idea how to describe it -- how would y'all do it?— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel Louis-Jacques) 1632502469
The taste of Dr Pepper is hard to describe because there's nothing quite like it. It has a hint of cherry. Maybe a little licorice. There's definitely some allspice in there. It's tough to describe because it's a combination of 23 different flavors.
It's believed that the actual 23 flavors are a trade secret and the recipe is kept as two halves in safe deposit boxes in two separate Dallas banks.
It was created in the 1880s by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas and was introduced nationally in the United States at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition as a new kind of soda pop. Dr Pepper has been around for over 130 years and the flavor has yet to be duplicated. Mr. Pibb comes close, but it doesn't quite have the same magic.
There are a lot of creative responses to the tweet with people doing their best to put flavor into words.
It's a Pepper spiced cola. You get an initial sugary/sweet taste with a pepper finish.
(Yes, I am a Dr.Pepper lifer)
— Alfredo Arteaga (@Alf_Arteaga) September 24, 2021
The nectar of the gods.
— Bruce Nolan (@BruceExclusive) September 24, 2021
it tastes like cigarettes and spice
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) September 24, 2021
Pepsi with a hint of prune juice
— Burner Burnside (@BurnerBurnside) September 24, 2021
Like a coke or Pepsi with an infusion of the crispest Cherry you have had
— MANIAC (@ZachSheldon) September 24, 2021
You know how Root Beer tastes different than cola? It's like that, but even differenter
— Nick Van Wagenen (@MKEnick) September 24, 2021
If Cherry coke and Root beer had a lovechild
— Utility Infieder Luis Sojo (@KeymanJingle) September 24, 2021
Only one answer, barbecue water 🤣🤣🤣
— Matt Webster (@Lets_go_webster) September 24, 2021
James Acaster correctly describes the flavor of Dr. Pepper as “it tastes like a sexy battery."
— Taylor Oblad (@RebelJTO) September 24, 2021
not as good as mr. pibb. and not that pibb xtra crap, the og pibb from the 90s
— Dr. Nguyen Van Phuoc (@JohnOCrowther) September 24, 2021
Some tried to describe it as a recipe. Did they break into two Dallas banks and put the two recipes together?
Combination of (approximately):
Amaretto, Almond, Blackberry, Black Licorice, Caramel, Carrot, Clove, Cherry, Cola, Ginger, Juniper, Lemon, Molasses, Nutmeg, Orange, Prune, Plum, Pepper, Root Beer, Rum🤤, Raspberry, Tomato, and Vanilla.
— Hansel (@UberHansen) September 24, 2021
"The 23 flavors in Dr. Pepper are cola, cherry, licorice, amaretto, almond, vanilla, blackberry, apricot, caramel, pepper, anise, sarsaparilla, ginger, molasses, lemon, plum, orange, nutmeg, cardamon, all spice, coriander juniper, birch and prickly ash."
— Jarret (@ADarkenedShroud) September 24, 2021
Evidently, there are a lot of people who can't stand the taste of Dr Pepper. It's kinda like black licorice or cilantro. You love it or you hate it.
I know this may get be blocked 🤣🤣 but good for that person - it tastes awful 🤮
— Michelle 💙❤️🏈 (@malden104) September 24, 2021
Agree with you 100%. Hands down the nastiest soda I've ever tasted in my life 🤮🤮
— Renaissance Man (@Billsfandiehard) September 24, 2021
If you've ever killed a palmetto bug…there's a smell they have. Dr. Pepper tastes like that smell. It's disgusting.
— J Christensen-Sharpe (@Snowbird_Killer) September 24, 2021
My grandma describes it as tasting like the smell of ants when you smash them
— Jeremy Sanders (@jeremy_lonavi) September 24, 2021
Ass. And prunes
— Mountain Man (@Kusku72) September 24, 2021
Some Mr. Pibb fans entered the fray, but it wasn't their war to fight.
Tell them it tastes just like Mr. Pibb, the only difference being that Pibb didn't go to medical school.
— Larry Stone (@StoneLarry) September 24, 2021
This guy may have hit the nail on the head.
“Everything."
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) September 24, 2021
So, in the end, what does Dr Pepper taste like? The best answer should be: Dr Pepper. Much like how an orange has an orange flavor or a cherry has a cherry flavor. Dr pepper has a Dr Pepper flavor.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."