Mixers

Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola

Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola is an alcohol-free cola that Fever-Tree’s UK site builds on Madagascan vanilla, kola nut, Indonesian cassia and Mexican lime, with roasted barley malt extract in the ingredients, which means it contains gluten. Fever-Tree’s UK site lists it only as Refreshingly Light, a fructose-sweetened version with 4.4 grams of sugar per 100ml. Our Whisky and Cola uses 150ml to 50ml of whisky.

Quick Facts

ABV0% ABV

Legal categoryNon-alcoholic

OriginUnited Kingdom (Fever-Tree); vanilla from Madagascar

Flavour Strengthlight medium

SeasonYear-round

Our keeping timeUnopened: to the best-before date. Once opened, use it straight away: the fizz goes first.

Storage

Store unopened bottles or cans in a cool place. Refrigerate before use. We use an opened bottle straight away, before the carbonation goes.

Allergens

Contains: cereals containing gluten. Recipes change: check the bottle.

The ingredient

About Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola

Flavour Profile

Primary Flavours

CaramelCitrusSpiceSweet

Tasting Notes

Sweet caramelised sugar with light citrus brightness, subtle spice, and gentle bitterness from kola nut. Highly carbonated and refreshing.

Four named flavours, with vanilla in front

Fever-Tree name the flavours they build the cola on: kola nut for soft, earthy notes, Indonesian cassia for warm spice, Mexican lime for citrus and Madagascan vanilla for sweetness and depth. They arrive as natural flavourings rather than as whole ingredients, but the sources are set out on the product page.

Roasted barley malt extract brings gluten

Where Coca-Cola’s UK label lists caramel colour, this one lists roasted barley malt extract. Barley contains gluten, so this cola is not gluten free, and Fever-Tree print BARLEY in capitals on the ingredients. Few people think to check a cola for gluten, which is exactly why it is worth saying.

Only the Refreshingly Light version is on the UK site

Fever-Tree’s UK site lists the cola only as Refreshingly Light: carbonated spring water, fructose, natural flavourings including caffeine, roasted barley malt extract and citric acid, at 18 kcal per 100ml, in 200ml and 500ml bottles. Their own Whisky Cola serve names that version. Coca-Cola Original Taste carries more than twice the sugar, so this one sits lighter under the spirit.

Madagascan Cola against two other colas, per 100ml (Fever-Tree’s, Franklin & Sons’ and Coca-Cola’s UK sites, read 17 October 2026)

Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Madagascan Cola

Energy: 18 kcal
Sugar: 4.4g
Sweetened with: Fructose
Gluten: Yes, roasted barley malt

Franklin & Sons 1886 Original Cola

Energy: 40 kcal
Sugar: 9.9g
Sweetened with: Sugar
Gluten: Yes, barley malt

Coca-Cola Original Taste

Energy: 42 kcal
Sugar: 10.6g
Sweetened with: Sugar
Gluten: None declared

Cola	Energy	Sugar	Sweetened with	Gluten
Fever-Tree Refreshingly Light Madagascan Cola	18 kcal	4.4g	Fructose	Yes, roasted barley malt
Franklin & Sons 1886 Original Cola	40 kcal	9.9g	Sugar	Yes, barley malt
Coca-Cola Original Taste	42 kcal	10.6g	Sugar	None declared

Whisky first, then rum

Our Whisky and Cola copies Fever-Tree’s serve: ice to the brim of a highball, 50ml of whisky, then 150ml of chilled cola and some lime. Vanilla is the bridge to the whisky. Fever-Tree also aim it at rum and bourbon, and against a standard cola it is less sweet, so the spirit carries more of the drink.

Using it

Using Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola

Usage

Our Whisky and Cola tops 50ml of whisky with 150ml over plenty of ice and ends with lime squeezed in, as in Fever-Tree’s own serve. Fever-Tree make it for rum, whisky and bourbon; it adds less to a clear, neutral spirit.

Pro Tip

Pour the cola onto the spirit and stop at 150ml for 50ml of whisky. A less sweet cola shows the spirit clearly at that ratio, so a heavier pour only dilutes what the bottle was chosen for.

Top Tips

If gluten matters, note the roasted barley malt extract on the label.
Use it with whisky, bourbon or aged rum, where the vanilla has oak and caramel to meet.
Add lime rather than sugar if the drink tastes thin.
Keep 200ml bottles for single drinks; a 500ml one loses its fizz before you reach the end.

Possible Substitutions

Cola: A standard cola with fresh lime: sweeter
Franklin & Sons 1886 Original Cola: Coffee and kola nut in place of vanilla; also contains gluten

Production Method

Refreshingly Light: carbonated spring water, fructose, natural flavourings including caffeine (kola nut, Indonesian cassia, Mexican lime, Madagascan vanilla), roasted barley malt extract and citric acid.

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

What does Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola taste like?

Fever-Tree build it on Madagascan vanilla, kola nut, Indonesian cassia and Mexican lime, so expect vanilla first, then warm spice and a citrus edge, with a toasted note from the roasted barley malt. The UK version is sweetened with fructose and is less sweet than a standard cola.

Does Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola contain gluten?

Yes. Fever-Tree’s UK site lists roasted barley malt extract and prints BARLEY in capitals, and barley is one of the cereals containing gluten that Annex II of Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 requires labels to declare. Anyone avoiding gluten should pick a cola made without malt and read its label.

Does Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola contain caffeine?

Yes. Fever-Tree’s UK site lists natural flavourings including caffeine, though it does not publish how much. For a late drink, swap in a caffeine-free cola, choosing one with some bitterness or the drink will taste sweeter.

Is Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola still sold in the UK?

Fever-Tree’s UK site lists it as Refreshingly Light Madagascan Cola, in 200ml and 500ml bottles, and the old full-sugar product address now leads there (as of 10 October 2026). The four named flavours are unchanged; fructose is the sweetener.

What do you mix with Madagascan cola?

Fever-Tree’s UK site suggests rums, whiskies and bourbons, and its Whisky Cola serve finishes with a lime wedge. Our Whisky and Cola follows it at 50ml to 150ml. Aged rum suits it too. It adds less to vodka or gin, where there is no caramel or oak for the vanilla to meet.

Is Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola low in sugar?

Yes, for a cola. Fever-Tree’s UK site gives 4.4 grams of sugar and 18 kcal per 100ml, under half the 10.6 grams Coca-Cola’s UK site gives for Original Taste. GOV.UK starts the Soft Drinks Industry Levy at five grams per 100ml, so this one falls below it. The sweetener is fructose, a fruit sugar.

What can I use instead of Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola?

Another cola with a drier, spicier profile, or a standard full-sugar cola sharpened with lime, though the drink will be sweeter. Franklin & Sons’ UK site lists coffee beans and kola nut for its 1886 cola, with barley malt extract, so it is not gluten free either.

Sources.

Correct as of 17 October 2026.

Fever-Tree (UK), “Refreshingly Light Madagascan Cola”.
Fever-Tree (UK), “Whisky Cola”.
Franklin & Sons, “1886 Original Cola”.
Coca-Cola Great Britain, “Coca-Cola Original Taste”.
GOV.UK (HMRC), “Check if your drink is liable for the Soft Drinks Industry Levy”.
legislation.gov.uk, “Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II (as retained in UK law)”.

From the Guides

Cola in a whisky highball

Make something

Made with Fever-Tree Madagascan Cola

Featured In These Cocktails

Whisky & Cola

Often Used With

Updated 17 October 2026

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