Underrated Bartesian^® Pods: The Ones Owners Didn't Expect to Love

The Short Version

Some of the best pods in the lineup are the ones people almost skipped. Owners passed over them because of a name, a flavor they thought they disliked, or a spirit they thought they did not drink. Then they tried them.

The pods owners named most:

• The gin pods. Several owners said they did not think they liked gin until a Bartesian pod changed their mind.
• The Pineapple Margarita, for a coconut taste nobody expected.
• The Refreshers, for a lower alcohol drink that found its own time of day.

My own pick is the Ginger Peach Iced Tea.

Where These Picks Came From

In September I asked the same question in two Bartesian owner groups on Facebook: which Bartesian pod did you expect nothing from, and now it is one you reach for?

Every pod on this page surprised someone. Some of them are already popular. That is fine. Under this question, a pod can be well loved and still catch a new owner off guard.

My Pick: Ginger Peach Iced Tea

When I first saw the name, it did not appeal to me. Ginger, peach and iced tea in one drink did not sound like something I would want.

When I tried it, the three flavors blended well, and none of them stands out over the others. It is a fairly large drink, and it has become my poolside sipper on a hot day. On the regular setting I do not taste any alcohol and I get no alcohol burn. I keep reaching for it over and over again.

The pod is made for vodka. Bartesian^® describes the mixer as black tea with peach and ginger, and its site recommends a highball glass.

I am not the only one who thinks so. I have seen other owners in the Bartesian Facebook groups call it an underrated pod, and I agree with them.

The Gin Pods That Changed Minds

More owners pointed to the gin pods than to any other group. Several of them told the same story: they did not think they liked gin, and a Bartesian pod changed their mind.

Gin drinkers who did not know it yet

Renee H. agreed with me on the Ginger Peach Iced Tea, and then named several of the gin pods. She did not think she was a gin drinker until she tried the Great Gatsby, the Raspberry Ginger Gimlet, the Bee's Knees and the Aviation.

I had the same experience. I wrote the whole story in my guide, “I Thought I Didn't Like Gin,” including the first gin pod that changed my mind.

A gimlet where the ginger comes through

Teresa G. named the Raspberry Ginger Gimlet. What surprised her was how well the ginger came through, and how well balanced the drink was.

Lori L. loves it too, and other owners agreed in the replies. It is one of the most talked about pods in the owner groups.

I knew nothing about it until I tried it. It surprised me as well, and I really enjoyed it. It is a gin pod with raspberry and ginger. Read my full Raspberry Ginger Gimlet review.

The Aviation

Lori L. said the Aviation was another one that surprised her.

For me, the Aviation is a good one, and I scored it 9 out of 10. It is a gin pod with a floral, lightly sweet profile built on violet liqueur, cherry liqueur and lemon. Read my full Aviation review.

The pod for when you cannot decide

LisaKay F. named the Bee's Knees. In her words, it is the one she reaches for “when my brain just doesn't want to pick.”

Bee's Knees is one I keep coming back to as well. It is a gin drink with lemon and honey. Read my full Bee's Knees review.

Other Pods Owners Didn't Expect to Love

The gin pods were not the only surprises. Owners named pods made with tequila, vodka and rum too.

A margarita that tastes like coconut

Cathy M. did not think she would like a pineapple drink. To her, the Pineapple Margarita tastes more like a coconut margarita with a splash of pineapple, and it became one of her all time favorites.

She made the same point in a second owner group, where she said she was surprised Bartesian did not call it a pineapple coconut margarita. For her, it is the most tropical and refreshing pod. Other owners agreed about the coconut.

Bartesian^® does list coconut among the flavors, along with pineapple, lime and orange liqueur. It is a tequila pod. I have a few of these pods. I have not had one in a while, and I plan to taste it again and pay attention to the coconut.

A lower alcohol drink with its own time of day

Jeanette D. ordered the Refreshers without reading the description, and did not realize they were lower in alcohol. At first she thought that was a bad idea, since she uses her Bartesian when she wants a real cocktail, not a mocktail.

Then she had one earlier in the day and changed her mind. The Refreshers, she found, have a time and place: a brunch pick me up. She loves them now.

The Refreshers are made with a lower alcohol level on purpose. Bartesian sells them as a collection of four fruit flavors, made with vodka. Renee H. likes them too, and when she wants more of a kick, she adds her own vodka.

Lemon Drops for someone who did not like Lemon Drops

Jules G. was never a Lemon Drop fan, and she loves the Lemon Drop collection. Deron W. named the Prickly Pear Lemon Drop from the same collection.

The current Lemon Drop Variety Pack holds Strawberry, Blueberry, Prickly Pear and Blue Raspberry. Read my full Lemon Drop review.

A caramel pod that goes all in

This one is a little different. I was surprised at how over the top the caramel is in the Caramel Appletini. I am a big caramel fan, so that is why I enjoy it.

It is a sweeter drink, but it is balanced. It is not sweet to the point of leaving a rough aftertaste. It is a vodka pod with green apple and caramel, and I scored it 9 out of 10 in my full Caramel Appletini review.

Two rum pods worth a try

Dianne R. named the Calamansi Daiquiri, and other owners agreed. It is one I like a lot too. It is a rum pod with bright, tart citrus. Read my full Calamansi Daiquiri review.

Lori B. named the Rum Breeze. I like Rum Breeze as well. It is a light rum pod with pineapple, lime and strawberry, plus a little coconut.

For owners who like heat

John K. named two pods with a kick. The Mango Habanero Margarita is his new favorite, and he also named the Jalapeño Lime Shrub. Both are tequila pods. The first pairs mango and lime with habanero heat. The second pairs lime and jalapeño with a little apple cider vinegar.

Deron W. also named the Rum Swizzle, a rum pod that is on bartesian.com today.

Loved, But Not Sold Right Now

Some of the pods owners named most warmly cannot be bought on bartesian.com today. None of the four below was sold there as of October 7, 2026. Bartesian has not said they are gone for good, so this page does not say that either.

Great Gatsby

Lauren P. really misses the Great Gatsby. She called it one of the less sweet pods, and she wishes it would come back. It was also on Renee H.'s list of gin pods.

I never got to try it, and I would like to. I have seen a lot of owners in the Bartesian Facebook groups mention that it was a lower calorie pod that still tasted good, and many of them wish Bartesian would bring it back. The pod mix was 60 calories, based on the Nutrition Facts Bartesian published. You can compare it with other pods in my Bartesian pod calorie guide.

Apple Cayenne Lemon Drop

Cathy M. thought she would hate the Apple Cayenne. It quickly became her favorite, and she cannot believe it is gone.

The Apple Cayenne was one of my favorites too. I had a bunch from the old Lemon Drop collection and figured I would have to power through them. They really grew on me. I have a few left that I am saving.

Fuzzy Navel

One owner told the group she bought a single box of the Fuzzy Navel when it first came out and loved it. She kept ordering until it sold out. For a while her whole subscription was Fuzzy Navel, and she still has extra in her fridge and freezer.

I have never tried it, and I have always wanted to.

The original Appletini

This is my own underrated pick. I expected it to be over the top on apple flavor. It was not. It has a pleasant apple taste that is not totally in your face, and it is very balanced. On the regular setting I got no alcohol burn and no liquor taste. It is very smooth, and that is what I remember most.

The Caramel Appletini is still sold.

What These Picks Have in Common

Two words kept coming up: balanced and less sweet. Teresa G. said the Raspberry Ginger Gimlet was well balanced. Lauren P. liked that the Great Gatsby was one of the less sweet ones. I found the same balance in the original Appletini and the Ginger Peach Iced Tea. For me, the Aviation is one of the most balanced pods in the lineup.

The other pattern is the reason people skipped them. A name that sounded odd, a flavor they thought they disliked, or a spirit they thought they did not drink. If a pod has sat in your cart and you keep passing it over for that kind of reason, it may be worth one try.