'White coke' was transparent coke. 'Black' coke is transparent too (hold it up to the light).

You've never seen vodka in person?

Its a cultural thing I guess. I don't drink alcohol, but I hang about with people who do. I don't recall my friends ever drinking vodka.

I'm a little bothered by this use of the word "white" for something colour-less. If you tell me that a liquid is "white", I'm going to think it would look like a glass of milk before I think of a glass of water.

I read "White coke" and I thought of a carbonated milky looking drink.

In that case "white people" and/or "black people" must drive you nuts.

What would drive me nuts was if 'The Invisible Man' was instead called 'The White Man'.

Chemists use the term 'water-white' for just this reason.

White rum is the name for clear rum. I suppose in a beverage context white just means colorless.

It is transparent, and so is "white coke".