Before I Start Raving About Dr Pepper …
At a certain family restaurant, there was Dr Pepper on the drink bar.
I fell in love with its unique flavor…
But for some reason,
there was no Dr Pepper in any of the vending machines or
supermarkets near my home.
So when this “elusive” Dr Pepper suddenly appeared
for a limited time at my local supermarket,
I scraped together what little money
I had and bought some on the spot.
Now… there’s only one precious can left in my fridge. (；∀；)
Back in the summer,
I saw Dr Pepper in a vending machine at Tennōji Station.
I couldn’t understand why we didn’t have it in my neighborhood,
so I contacted Coca-Cola’s customer support and said:
“If you ever have the chance,
I’d really love it if you could put Dr Pepper in the vending machines near my house too.”
They kindly replied:
“The distribution is handled by the bottler company,
so we’ll pass your request on to them.”
Such a god-tier response from customer support! ヾ(≧▽≦)ﾉ
A few months later…
Dr Pepper showed up as a limited-time item at my local supermarket.
I felt genuinely grateful.
It seems to be available only through December,
so once payday comes, I’m definitely buying more.
I just hope it’s still on the shelf when I go (´ω｀)
By the way, this blog contains affiliate links.
Older Than Coca-Cola?! Dr Pepper, a.k.a. “Dokpe”
What are these “23 flavors” supposed to be, anyway?
Dr Pepper,
loved by a small but passionate group of fans for its one-of-a-kind taste,
actually has a long history.
Surprisingly, Dr Pepper was born in 1885,
which makes it slightly older than the famous Coca-Cola (born in 1886)
and one of the oldest soft drinks in America.
So now the big questions are:
- Why was this uniquely mysterious drink created in the first place?
- And why does it have the name “Doctor” in it?
Let’s dig a little deeper and find out (´▽｀)
The Story of Its Birth: Did Dr Pepper Really Come From the “Scent of a Pharmacy”?
The man who developed the flavor of
Dr Pepper was Charles Alderton,
a pharmacist working at a drugstore in Waco, Texas.
He must have truly loved his job,
because he wanted to recreate the unique aroma of
the pharmacy—
a mix of medicines, fruit syrups, and sweet scents that filled the air.
After much trial and error,
he finally created that complex and mysterious recipe we know today.
So honestly, it’s no surprise that some people take a sip and go
“What is this… medicine?!”
“This tastes weird!”
Knowing its origin makes that reaction totally understandable (lol).
What surprised me the most is that Dr Pepper was
originally marketed as a digestive aid.
That “medicinal” background later became deeply connected to its name.
Why the Name “Dr Pepper”?
The Hidden Story Behind the Doctor
Once the recipe was perfected,
the drink needed a name.
A widely accepted theory is that the name was
chosen by Wade Morrison,
the owner of the drugstore where Alderton worked.
The big question is:
Where did the “Pepper” come from?
The most popular theory says it was named after
Dr. Charles Pepper, a physician whom Morrison admired.
And honestly?
My reaction was the same as yours:
“Wait—who’s that?”
“So the pharmacist didn’t get the credit?!”
Dr. Pepper himself didn’t develop the recipe
nor experiment with flavors.
The name was simply borrowed as a nod to someone the owner respected.
At the time in America, adding titles like
“Doctor” or “Professor” to soft drinks created an impression of
health benefits and trustworthiness.
Riding that trend, Dr Pepper was born.
The Mystery Behind the “23 Flavors”
One of Dr Pepper’s biggest charms—and its greatest mystery—is
the fact that it’s made from a blend of many different flavors.
The can itself only says “over 20 flavors”,
so you might be wondering:
“Where does the number 23 come from?”
The answer is actually part of
Dr Pepper’s long-standing branding strategy.
The phrase “23 secret flavors” has been used for
decades as a marketing hook to highlight
the drink’s mysterious complexity.
It’s become a core part of Dr Pepper’s identity.
While the exact recipe is strictly confidential,
the drink’s unique and layered taste has led many fans to
develop what I’d call “Guess-the-flavor syndrome” (lol).
Everyone wants to figure out what’s inside!
Experts and enthusiasts often suggest
that Dr Pepper contains a blend of various fruits and spices,
such as:
- Fruity Notes: Cherry, almond, plum, raspberry, orange, lemon, and more.
- Spice & Sweet Notes:Vanilla, anise, caramel,
nutmeg, coriander, and others.
Jenny from Gemini drew this illustration for me.
From my perspective, even the “cherry” flavor feels more like
blood cherry, and I can also detect a hint of something similar to
almond tofu.
That silky texture that lingers on the tongue?
I’d say that’s probably the vanilla.
Dr Pepper has a sweet, distinctive aroma
that makes it completely unique.
It may look like cola, but it’s definitely not cola.
And it’s not a fruit soda either.
It’s that one-of-a-kind depth—an unmistakable
“Dr Pepper-ness”—that has kept loyal fans hooked for generations.
Conclusion: A Flavor You’ll Never Forget
Older than Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper is a drink born
from a pharmacist’s curiosity and the mystery of 23 blended flavors—
a beverage that feels almost like a “crafted love.”
Not only does Dr Pepper have a unique history and taste,
it is also known for its incredibly passionate fanbase.
One of the most famous fans was Elizabeth Sullivan,
who lived in Texas and survived to the age of 106.
She famously said:
“The secret to my long life is drinking Dr Pepper every day.”
Her devotion was so well-known that on her 104th birthday,
the Dr Pepper company gifted her a special custom bottle.
Although Elizabeth has since passed away,
her lifelong love for Dr Pepper remains one of the most
heartwarming stories among fans.
Some people may take their first sip and go
“Whoa!! What IS this?!”
But once you break past that shock,
many find themselves falling deep into its addictive charm.
So, why not give one of America’s oldest soft drinks a try?
And while you’re sipping,
see if you can figure out what those 23 mysterious flavors might be.
Japanese language is here ↓
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