Tom Hanks shares unusual Champagne cocktail

During an appearance on CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Hollywood star Tom Hanks revealed his unconventional Christmas cocktail creation.

Hanks, who was there to promote his new film A Man Called Otto, shared that during the festive period when out celebrating with family, he accidentally invented a new drink.

When drinking at New York City jazz bar Café Carlyle with his wife, Rita Wilson, bottle of Champagne was brought to them, but Hanks disclosed that he is not “a big drinker”, usually favouring a Diet Coke instead.

“And I said ‘Oh, give me a shot of Champagne in there for crying out loud!’…in the Diet Coke, and everyone says ‘you are insane’.”

But, after taking a sip, Hanks felt that his eyes had been opened to a new beverage experience: “Stephen, it was delicious.”

To test for himself, Colbert then proceeded to recreate the drink for he and his guest, using approximately three parts Diet Coke to one part Veuve Clicquot. Hanks shared that the cola product has to be diet, due to his Type 2 Diabetes.

Colbert then quipped that the creation was: “Like an American Aperol Spritz”, before trying and enjoying a sip: “It’s strangely, strikingly, shamefully good – cause it’s so refreshing.”

As for the issue of what to call Hanks’ creation, the actor gave it the somewhat questionable name of ‘The Diet Cokagne’, a portmanteau of Diet Coke and Champagne.

However, reactions to the drink from those who have that have tasted the creation have not been quite as glowing.

Nancy Jiang in The Sun wrote: “The concoction didn’t taste much like anything except a tad bit sweeter Champagne, with a weird aftertaste from the sugar alternatives in the Diet Coke.”

Loryn Powell on TikTok suggested that it was “not boozy enough”, so swapped out the Diet Coke for Bud Light Hard Soda:

@lorynpowell Trying the viral Tom Hanks drink of Diet Coke and champagne (yes I know it’s Prosecco, calm down) #cocktails #champagne #tastetest #tomhanks #dietcoke #dietcokeagne ♬ original sound – Loryn Powell

Is Hanks’ creation a work of genius, or just ruining fine French fizz with a fizzy drink?