What Exactly Is “Cola” Flavor?

Whether it was Coke, Pepsi, or a supermarket brand, at some point or another pretty much everyone has tasted a cola flavored beverage. But have you ever tried to describe what Coke or Pepsi tastes like? Go ahead, give it a shot. It can’t be done. Despite being regularly consumed by billions of people all over the world, “cola” isn’t a flavor with a widely-accepted definition, or even one that’s widely known. So what’s the big secret?