I’ve already explained my relationship with Dollar General in a previous review. Basically, I equated it with trash, so I avoided it like the plague. There’s just something about their small stores that has always felt…cramped. There’s generally loads of unstocked merchandise on the floor (at least at our store), the aisles feel small, and the place just looks gross. There’s nothing appealing to the eye whatsoever. Call me prejudiced, or unfair, or a dick, but I don’t care; I do not like their stores.

Well, I didn’t. My above opinions still hold true, but sometimes you just have to cross the line for convenience. (That explains why Walmart stores are popular, while simultaneously feeling like waking nightmares.) Even though we live within two miles of virtually everything, Dollar General manages to be the closest store to us. And while we have ignored its pull ever since it was put in a few years ago, lately it’s become our go-to destination for quick stops.

I had never really looked at their inventory, because we generally go with one or two things in mind. But I did end up perusing on one visit, discovering that they have their own private label brand. Gadzooks, why had I never thought of that possibility before?

Actually, like Aldi, Dollar General has a variety of different brands, each one belonging to a certain product category. For example, Studio Selection covers health and beauty products, while foods are covered under the Clover Valley moniker. This one is released under the Good & Smart label, which continues the trend of brands receiving vague, asinine names. (Hell, I’d accept “Wonderful & Intelligent” instead. At least that would mean one of those marketing morons would have had to reach for a thesaurus.)

In this bottle, we have juices from not one, not three, not even five, but SEVEN different fruits and veggies. They are black cherry, strawberry, sour cherry, pomegranate, grape, black carrot and black mulberry. That’s quite a lineup for such an affordable price. Now, they are all from concentrate (with added water) so that’s a slight ding. But still, it fits the FDA’s lax requirements for 100% juice, and there are no added sugars, so those are both highlights.

Taking a sniff…and I have to admit that my senses are kind of overloaded. It smells like prune juice, but not quite as “dry”. It’s slightly more inviting, but not too terribly so…at this point I have to say I’m a little bit nervous. Nevertheless, I dive headfirst right in…

And that’s what it tastes like: a more palatable prune juice. I don’t like prune juice (who does, except for old people) but this somehow rises above that flavor profile and crosses the line into “good” territory. It’s got a touch of sweetness – but not too much – and it goes down relatively smooth. Actually, I did pucker a couple of times thanks to the sour cherry, but once you get used to that, then it goes down smooth. I would also compare the flavor to a cold-pressed juice, as there’s a hint of earthiness in there (courtesy of the carrot, perhaps).

Now, the bottle’s size is underwhelming, coming in at 8.5 oz. (well, technically 8.45). However, these come in at $1 each. That’s some pretty excellent value. Not even Dollar Tree can hang, what with their prices raising a quarter across the entire store and all. That means other retailers are going to have a chance to undercut them, at least on certain products, and this appears to be one of them. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Anyway, random rambling aside, this is a great juice at an excellent value. If you see these in your local Dollar General (I found them at one in Tennessee), then you would be wise to scoop one up. Or a few. You won’t regret it.

Overall: 8/10. A great juice at a fantastic value. The flavor is akin to a prune juice, only with tartness and a touch of sweet. Assuming you can handle the sour cherry, this goes down nice and easy. The fact it’s 100% juice, while coming in at a buck, is pretty solid value, putting it above similar offerings from Dollar Tree. I wouldn’t hesitate to get these again, although I must say availability must vary: I found these at a DG in Tennessee and haven’t been able to find them at our local store. If you find some, grab them. You can’t go wrong.