Coca Leaf and Kola Nut; The Story of Coca-Cola

John S. Pemberton, an Atlanta pharmacist, at his Pemberton Chemical Company, first cooked up Coca-Cola as a tonic, for common ailments. He based it on cocaine from the coca leaf and caffeine-rich extracts of the kola nut. It is said that Dr. Pemberton carried a jar of his tonic to Jacob's bar where it was sampled and pronounced excellent; a delicious and refreshing taste. The drink was sampled for five cents a glass as a soda fountain drink and averaged nine drinks per day.