Chili Mango Slurpee review: Not too much spice, everything nice

Swicy is all the rage. Look no further than the today-launching Starbucks spicy lemonade line to see how what folks around the world have known for years – sweet and spicy are good together – has gone mainstream. Which is why this is probably the perfect time for 7-Eleven to bring back the Chili Mango Slurpee.

I’ll fully admit even as a Slurpee aficionado, I was not aware this particular flavor has been around since at least 2014. And to be fair, I’ll try a new flavor when I see it pop up at the local 7-Eleven, but every time I’ll return to the trusty Coke Slurpee of my youth, pretty much the perfect frozen treat. There’s also the trusty Blue Raspberry Slurpee, which my 9-year-old prefers, but frankly, I think Icee does that one better.

Regardless, in the mix of your tried-and-true flavors, and branded initiatives like MTN DEW Pitch Black and Vitaminwater XXX Zero Sugar, I was surprised to see Chili Mango in the middle. Living in a neighborhood where people are regularly walking around with actual mangos covered in actual chili all the time, it seemed like a natural fit – but one I wouldn’t believe would channel the flavors of the summertime treat.

Spoiler: it doesn’t, but it’s still a pretty good Slurpee option anyway.

Whereas my issue with most non-Coke Slurpees is too much sweetness, rather than a sickly, sugary mango flavor that sits in the back of your throat, the extremely light spice in the drink helps cut down on the cloying feeling you get from some other “fruit” flavors. And if you’re worried about the chili part… It’s barely there. You get maybe a little tingle on the after-taste, but mostly it feels like the chili adds a little extra fizz to the drink. If you consider Pop Rocks spicy (why would you???) then yes, this is spicy. But otherwise, it’s a fun, fizzy Slurpee that’s not too heavy on the mango.

Overall, this is perhaps my favorite Slurpee I’ve tried in a good long while. It definitely won’t replace the actual thing (that would be mangos covered in chili), nor frankly will it replace the Coke Slurpee that lives inside my heart. But if the Coke dispenser is broken or still spinning up, Chili Mango is a solid second option.