Ever since autumn, I have frequently enjoyed the “Living in Gratitude” special edition flavor of GT’s Kombucha. Its fall-tinged demeanor bore a warm cocktail of spices and flavors that resembled everything I wanted out of the season. However, as the months shifted into a skin of bare trees and near sub-zero temperatures, I grew pale with monotony—that is until the GT’s winter edition flavor, “Pure Love,” arrived in a bubble of bliss.

I had been keeping up with the GT’s Instagram account for updates about this new flavor for a while and tried to remain patient. The ads described this flavor to be comprised of rose, hibiscus, and blood orange—I was beyond ready to introduce myself to this flavor profile. Although it’s just a beverage, I found myself relying on it to bring me colorful differentiation in the slump that January assigns to the Midwest, making it hard to sit still in its anticipated arrival. As soon as I saw the first post about the flavor’s release, I made arrangements to visit my local Trader Joe’s, excited to breach my cookie-cutter days.

After I hauled myself over to Penzoil for a dreaded oil change one Tuesday night, I wanted the trip to be chased down with my desired and anticipated reward—but my hopes for that night were not met. The first trip I made out to Trader Joe’s was unsuccessful; the shelves were stocked with the regular flavors—flavors I was still happy to see, nonetheless—and no “Pure Love.” I had thought that the winter flavor had officially been ready for purchase, but I alternatively walked away with an armful of “Watermelon Wonder” and “Cayennade” instead. 

A few days passed and it was time to hit the shops again. This time, I wasn’t going to take my chances with Trader Joe’s, so Fresh Thyme filled the job. 

It was around eleven degrees when I entered the store; after I traversed the treacherous conditions the parking lot entailed, my hands were blocks of ice and my nose was around the same shade of the bottle I was hoping to find. I glided through the automatic doors with a sense of confidence and relief for being able to thaw out. 

Then, the kombucha case located in the back of the store snapped a finger at me. I walked closer and closer and noticed an unfamiliar pink glint–was this the flavor? I walked even closer, never breaking eye contact with the bottle in question. Avocados, grapefruits, kale, and produce of all kinds fell into my wake as I sped toward my priority. 

And there she was—“Pure Love,” graciously opening her arms towards me, beckoning me to grab her off the shelf. 

An innocent lady with an empty cart was also digging into the kombucha case, and at this point, patience was not an option for me—I was going to throw hands if she snuck into my spot to grab a bottle. But lucky for both of us, she was perusing the opposite door’s goods, leaving me a perfect entryway to the bottle.

After I acquired the drink and hit the checkout, I swiftly sprinted back to the car, transporting the clinking glass alongside me. The seats lovingly greeted a frozen me with my glimmering GT’s Kombucha. The cold glass was dressed in metallic fuchsia, garnet hues, and a mandala design. The flavor name “Pure Love” nestled into a sphere, showcasing its trio of flavors. I wanted to wait until I got back home to be able to fully relax into the taste test, but the moment came sooner than I thought. 

At a stoplight at the intersection of Burton and East Paris, “Ribs” by Lorde started playing. I hesitated for a second, wanting to hold onto the moment I cut out for tasting the drink. But right as the crescendo of the song hit, I just needed to take my first sip—the sunset, the musical accompaniment, and the red light’s lull practically pushed me into it.

The cap cracked open, and the neoteric kombucha welcomed me. The first sensation that hit me was the subtle sour of hibiscus fused with the niche spikes of fizz. The flavor then shifted into a softer, rosy tone, accompanying the hibiscus faultlessly. The initial intensity of the drink wore off and melded into an exquisite aftertaste of blood orange—it was nearly equivalent to taking a bite of the actual fruit. Every flavor that danced in the bottle presented itself so naturally, exactly as nature intended. The brisk voice of this kombucha mellowed into an exemplary lineup of tastes, adding something to love about this current season in need.

I savored my kombucha for late evening, a time where I could cave into the kind hold of my couch and shelter my cold-blooded body in a blanket. While rewatching one of my favorite movies in my capsule of comfort, I sipped down the remainder of the hibiscus, rose, and blood orange compound, greeting my systems with a festival of affectionate enzymes and probiotics. 

Despite the cold temperature the beverage requires, GT’s winter edition flavor, “Pure Love,” deals a significant amount of warmth to the heart. It checked every one of my boxes and left me with a much-needed refresher for the season. I can’t quite describe why new flavors of GT’s Kombucha weave an unmatched amount of thrill into me, but what I do know is that each seasonal special hands me something to look forward to. So until spring shows up at my doorstep, I will revel in bottles upon bottles of GT’s “Pure Love.”