Frozen Elephant

Before we begin, I have to give a shout-out to Melissa Sue Sorrells, of Mouse on the Mind! Without her I would have never even known to look for today’s item to review.

So, now that I’ve piqued some interest, what is it that we’re talking about exactly? The Frozen Elephant found at the Africa Coolpost in World Showcase. It is listed very simple as a frozen Coca-Cola and Amarula Cream Liqueur. As an avid fan of frozen Cokes everywhere, this was one adult beverage I had to check out!

This isn’t a mixture that comes sloshing out of a machine. Sure, that’s how the frozen Coke gets into the cup, but the Amarula is added to the cup first and then the slush is added in on top of it. The liqueur gives the frozen Coke a bit more body and a hint of something tart, but not enough that it distracts from the Coca-Cola itself. At only 17% abv, the Amarula isn’t enough to make you tipsy, just enough to add some flavor to your frozen soda. I cannot recommend the Frozen Elephant enough, particularly if you’re wandering around World Showcase, sweating through the middle of the day, and a glass of wine, margarita, or other concoctions just don’t sound perfect to beat the heat.

You might be asking yourself where the elephants come from in the name of this beverage. No, it isn’t just that the Africa Coolpost has a distinctly equatorial feel to it. Amarula features elephants on their labels due to their tie to the fruit that comprises the main ingredient of Amarula. The marula tree is known as both the marriage tree and elephant tree, and produces fruit only once a year between December and March. Elephants and other creatures love the ripe, or over ripened, fruit of the tree, which is known to contain approximately eight times the amount of vitamin C found in a typical orange and has a sweet and tangy flavor profile to it. The trees grow in sub-equatorial Africa, and while it is believed that many of the trees were planted along the migratory trail of the Bantu people, the marula trees have had very little in the way of cultivation by the hand of man.

A quick side note, Amarula is so concerned with ensuring that elephants are there to partake of the marula fruit year after year that they began The Amarula Trust. The main thrust of their work is to conserve and protect elephants through education and creating sustainable environments.

All in all, the Frozen Elephant is a terrific little drink that won’t affect your faculties, aside from a possible brain freeze if you consume it too fast. It’s a great way to get some cold caffeine running through your veins with just a hint of something else building up the drink on the backside. This won’t be a make or break beverage for any trip, but you will be glad you gave it try!