Exactly, Coca Cola tried to claim that there is no real taste difference between cane sugar and HFCS, but I've been around since before they changed over back in 1984 and there is a very BIG difference as you mentioned. Cane sugar coke has a clean mouth feel, is slightly less sweet, and has a sharp/crisp, and bright cola flavor, HFCS on the other hand has a duller more flat flavor profile, and a weird aftertaste and slimy mouth feel.
That's why I don't by Coca Cola primarily anymore, I don't want to buy much more expensive mexican coke either.
Pepsi caved in back in the mid 2010s and brought out Pepsi with their original formula made with real cane sugar, which also does away with the nasty citric acid ingredient that they started to add back in the early 90s as well. While Coke would be my preferential taste they lost me with their refusal to make it with real sugar in the USA. The Pepsi is made with real sugar and made here in the USA and doesn't cost much more than the HFCS version.
