It began weeks ago, with claims of fraud and charlatanism; a challenge posed and accepted. A convoluted scheme was hatched, matching cup to content, and a test begun.
Barely touched bottles lined a white wall: coke, coke zero and diet coke; pepsi; and three Safeway brand colas – to group as follows: {{coke}, {pepsi}, {coke zero, diet coke}, {safeway brand}}.
In turn I raised each cup, filling my mouth with fluids of subtly differing taste, until it came — aspartame flowed and coated, drowning any subsequent dissimilarities. Everything tasted of disgusting, in a manner most horribly metallic.
But in the end, I triumphed. My claim accurate.
Though, still I don’t believe those who claim they can taste no difference. At least I can’t respect them their disability.
If someone claims there is no difference in taste between a beverage sweetened with aspartame and one sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, they are incorrect, assuming the are talking about the average humans sense of taste. It isn’t even close.
There is also a distinct difference between Pepsi and Coke, although I prefer Coke I have no particular aversion to Pepsi. Store brands (Safeway, Wal-Mart, etc) also taste different, and I am generally not a fan.
I would be more than willing to back these claims up in a blind trial, but it sounds like you have done the legwork for us.