Ever since NPH heard Tina Fey crack on the idea over a month ago he has hankered for a taste of this new gimmick. So, when, getting beer and snacks for a small apartment gathering, I spotted a 4-pack on the shelf, I didn't have to think twice about smacking down $4.50 for it.

It's Coke. It's coffee. It's "Coke effervescence and coffee essense."

So here I sit with a frosty glass of it, ready to take the first sip, live here on Not Prince Hamlet. Readers take note: this is history. If only NPH had existed when that blissful drink, Holiday Spice Pepsi, came out in the winter of '04 . . . ah well. The past is passed, and the future is Coke Blak.

So, here goes the first sip:

Mph. That's good. The coffee taste evokes a shopping mall coffee vendor, like a Gloria Jean's, one that features a lot of flavored whole bean coffees. The sensation is all cola, bubbly and cool. But the substance is heavier, more filling.

The second sip: nope, the first sip wasn't an aberration. This stuff is good. Let's just hope NPH can restrain himself and not overindulge in the 45-calorie-per-serving beverage.