Scotland's very own cola has bubbled into the soft drinks scene... And it sounds like it's brewing up a storm already.
Alba Cola is the brainchild of former Motherwell footballer Chris Ewing: A premium soda which sounds like just the tonic for sweet-toothed Glaswegians who want a taste of something different.
The firm's business development manager Niall tells how his pal concocted the idea during a holiday in the south of France two years ago – when he noticed he wasn't offer the usual choice of 'Coke or Pepsi.'
As it turns out, the country proudly boasts 30 of its own locally produced colas.
Niall tells Glasgow Live: "They were going out for dinner in bistros and bars there and when he asked for cola, they'd give you one from the local region. They'd give you that over multinational brands without asking.
"It got him thinking, with the whole provenance and craft thing going on – there's something in that.
"He's more Scottish than ever, having left the place. He's really proud of where he comes from. So he decided to come up with his own recipe and take it from there."
Last year, the pair spent months drinking "every cola under the sun" and brewing up batches of Alba at Greenock's Drinks Lab to send for taste tests to get the flavour perfect.
Eventually they settled on a very Cola-donian – sorry, Caledonian – blend: A sweet, lip-smacking fusion made with Scottish spring water and heather extract.
It's available in both a full sugar and sugar free version, which at 7.8mg per 100ml is said to contain 25% less sugar content than other leading full-sugar colas.
"It's very much cola – but it's definitely got its own unique angle," Niall added. "The heather part of it gives it a botanical buzz, but a lot of them have been overflavoured just to be different.
"In this case, it's got its own flavour but its not overkill. It's super refreshing, it's got a nice dry finish to it. The whole thing around it is quite patriotic too."
The pair have been handing out Alba Cola to people over the last two weeks – and it jas already gone down a treat with fizzy drink fans.
He added: "Everyone is being super positive, they love he flavour of it and the branding.
"We want to get into the imagination of the Scottish people and get people behind us.
"It's very much a people brand – people at the heart of it. All the values we stand for just been inspired by things gone by and looking forward to the future."
You can get your hands on cans of Alba Cola for £1.59 at various stockists across Glasgow – including Strange Brew and Curious Liquids in Shawlands.
Find out more on Alba Cola's website.
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