| Paranoid king's lackey | 26 |
| Paranoid king's employee | 28 |
| Oenologist, at times | 20 |
| King's employee | 19 |
| Checker, maybe | 14 |
| Winery employe. | 15 |
| Wine judge, e.g. | 16 |
| Wine expert, maybe | 18 |
| Vintner's aide | 18 |
| Tea-company employee | 20 |
| Tea or wine man | 15 |
| Soave sampler | 13 |
| Sampling specialist | 19 |
| Royal entourage member | 22 |
| Royal assistant | 15 |
| One who sips | 12 |
| One who checks for poison | 25 |
| Oenophile, at times | 19 |
| Necessity for a tyrant | 22 |
| Food sampler | 12 |
| Food critic in action | 21 |
| Flavor checker | 14 |
| Busy employee of a paranoid king | 32 |
| Wine experts | 12 |
| They prevent the king from being poisoned | 41 |
| They check for poison | 21 |
| Vintner's staff members | 27 |
| Tea judges | 10 |
| Tea experts | 11 |
| Sommeliers, at times | 20 |
| Some test participants | 22 |
| Pillsbury Bake-Off officials | 28 |
| Oenologists, at times | 21 |
| Intrepid palace employees | 25 |
| Group employed by a vintner | 27 |
| Dictator's security force, perhaps | 38 |
| Coffee experts | 14 |
| Chefs doing quality assurance, e.g. | 35 |
| Beverage experts | 16 |
| ___ Choice | 10 |
| Has a bit of | 12 |
| These are not to be disputed | 28 |
| Takes a nibble of | 17 |
| Sweet and sour, e.g. | 20 |
| Sweet and sour | 14 |
| Small samples | 13 |
| Samples a bit of | 16 |
| Personal preferences | 20 |
| Judges on "Top Chef" | 30 |
| Has a nibble | 12 |
| Has a little bit of | 19 |
| Tries, as food | 14 |
| They often differ | 17 |
| They frequently differ | 22 |
| These cannot be disputed | 24 |
| There's no accounting for them | 34 |
| Takes a sip | 11 |
| Takes a bite of | 15 |
| Savors or flavors | 17 |
| Samplings | 9 |
| Nondisputable things | 20 |
| Bitter and sweet | 16 |
| Isn't likely to win any culinary awards | 43 |
| Displeases one's buds? | 26 |
| Yummy thing (and a hint to this puzzle's theme) | 51 |
| "Mmm!" | 16 |
| Suggests, to the palate | 23 |
| Has a flavor like | 17 |
| Doesn't need more seasoning | 31 |
| "I think it's done" | 33 |
| Come in second, say | 19 |
| Way to find a flavor in favor | 29 |
| Soda market research tool | 25 |
| Pepsi Challenge, for instance | 29 |
| Market research tool | 20 |
| Event with unmarked choices | 27 |
| Commercial ploy pitting one brand against another | 49 |
| Commercial device | 17 |
| Cola-commercial tool | 20 |
| Advertising staple | 18 |
| Sipper, perhaps | 15 |
| One taking the Pepsi Challenge | 30 |
| One in a side-by-side food competition | 38 |
| Commercial challenges | 21 |
| Subjective side-by-side comparisons | 35 |
| Some ad features | 16 |
| Oral exams? | 11 |
| Wrigley product line | 20 |
| Slogan for Skittles | 19 |
| Skittles slogan ... or an alternate title for this puzzle | 57 |
| -- D-Lite (New York ice cream chain) | 36 |
| ___ D-Lite (gross frozen dessert place that appeared on "Sex and the City") | 85 |
| Second half of many annoyingly overenthusiastic portmanteaus | 60 |
| More savory | 11 |
| More palatable | 14 |
| More scrumptious | 16 |
| More yummy | 10 |
| More toothsome | 14 |
| More to one's liking | 24 |
| More sapid | 10 |