
Listen. I wasn't planning to spend my Thursday afternoon getting nostalgic over sugary vodka drinks, but here we are.
With all this Oasis reunion madness happening, I got curious about what other 90s relics were making comebacks. Turns out alcopops are having a moment again – Hooch just celebrated its 30th birthday with some fancy relaunch, and Bacardi Breezers are back on shelves after disappearing for years. My local Asda had this whole display set up like it was 1997 all over again.
So naturally, I bought way too many bottles and decided to rank them. For journalism. Obviously.
Here's what I discovered after an afternoon that left me both buzzed and questioning my life choices:

The One That Actually Transported Me Back
Reef (10 x 275ml, £8.50 at B&M) hit me like a freight train of memories. One sip and I was immediately 19 again, sitting in someone's garden pretending to be sophisticated while drinking what's basically alcoholic Solero.
The tropical passion fruit thing still works, even though it's flat and ridiculously sweet. There's real juice in there somewhere, which explains why it doesn't taste completely artificial. When it's properly cold from the fridge, it's actually quite refreshing.
At 85p per bottle when you buy the pack, it's decent value too. Though I definitely can't handle ten of these anymore.
Rating: 4/5

Aldi Being Aldi (And Doing It Better Than Expected)
Aldi Blue (700ml, £1.99) is their shameless WKD knockoff, and – plot twist – it's actually better than the original.
I feel slightly ridiculous admitting this, but they've toned down that claggy sweetness that makes your teeth feel furry. It's still generic "blue fruit" flavored (whatever that means), but it's lighter and less aggressive. The vodka base doesn't punch you in the face quite as hard.
For two quid, you really can't complain. Though explaining to the checkout person why you're buying discount blue alcohol at 2pm on a weekday is... awkward.
Rating: 3/5



The Comeback Queen
Breezer Watermelon (275ml, £3.29 at Costcutter) absolutely nailed it. They've dropped the Bacardi branding but kept everything that made these drinks legendary.
This watermelon version is genuinely refreshing – not just sugar-bomb sweet like I expected from that alarming red color. There's actual subtlety here, with a proper rum bite that doesn't get lost in the fruit flavoring. The original bottle shape is pure nostalgia.
At £3.29 it's pricey for what it is, but honestly? Worth every penny for the quality upgrade.
Rating: 5/5


Budget Buzz Territory
VK Apple & Mango (10 x 275ml, £9 at Morrisons) works out to 90p per bottle, which should've been my first warning sign.
The caffeine hit is real though – this stuff will absolutely wake you up. The apple-mango combo tastes decent enough, but drinking more than one feels like asking for trouble. I made that mistake and spent half the night staring at my ceiling.
Good for pre-drinks if you need energy. Bad for literally any other occasion.
Rating: 3/5



Why Does This Still Exist?
WKD Blue (700ml, £3.50 at Sainsbury's) is apparently still popular enough to spawn multiple copycat versions. I genuinely don't understand why.
It tastes like someone dissolved blue Smarties in vodka and added caffeine. The artificial sweetener coating on your teeth afterward is genuinely unpleasant. My dentist would probably cry if she knew I was drinking this.
Maybe it's one of those things you need to be 18 to appreciate? At 32, I just can't.
Rating: 1/5

The Respectable Option
Smirnoff Ice (700ml, £3.12 at Asda) has grown up nicely. The packaging looks almost... classy? Like something you wouldn't be embarrassed to drink at a barbecue.
Flavor-wise, it's much sweeter than I remember from university days. Basically cloudy lemonade with the faintest vodka whisper. Over ice with a lemon slice, it's actually quite pleasant.
Not exciting, but reliably drinkable.
Rating: 3/5



The Original Gangster
Hooch Lemon (440ml, £1.68 at Asda) is the granddaddy of them all, and it's still got it.
The limited edition can is a nice touch – proper 1995 vibes. But more importantly, they've balanced the lemon-vodka combo perfectly. It's zesty without being harsh, boozy without being overwhelming. Like a grown-up version of what it used to be.
At £1.68, it's an absolute steal. This is what I'll be buying again.
Rating: 5/5


Unexpected Tropical Vibes
Malibu and Cola (250ml, £2.25 at Sainsbury's) shouldn't work as well as it does, but that coconut-cola combination is genuinely lovely.
It's sweet as hell – probably too sweet if I'm being honest – but over ice with lime it becomes something special. Pure holiday-in-a-can energy.
Fabulous for what it is, though your blood sugar might disagree.
Rating: 4/5

So there you have it. My liver and I have done the hard work so you don't have to. The 90s might be back, but some things are better left as memories... and others, like that £1.68 Hooch, are absolute bargains worth revisiting.
Just maybe don't try to taste-test eight different alcopops in one afternoon. That's a young person's game.
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