RedBull Cola- a drink not matching their range (Red Bull Cola)

Member Name: Elrenia

Product:	Red Bull Cola
Date:	30/05/09 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: appealing design, easy to open

Disadvantages: sickening, unappealing price

I've seen the new Redbull Cola lurking in the aisles for quite a while now, but never bought it due to two main raisons:


*Redbull makes me feel sick, so I doubted that I would like a cheap Cola alternative
*the fact that it is totally overpriced (let's face it, we are paying the name more than anything else).

Ok, so I ended up buying it as I just had received a Tesco voucher, so spending those 1.60 pounds for two cans (355ml each) didn't hurt as much.



DESIGN

The design of this RedBull can varies from the usual one.
First of all, the brand name RedBull is written in bold red letters on a silver stripe.
Above it, on the blue stripe, you can find the usual bull as well as "natural cola".
Below it, on the red stripe, you will find "simply COLA" written, as well as "strong & natural".

The back of the can has the usual nutritional information and ingredients, which I will go into later.
The top of the can is fairly the same, just that the little "flip" to open it is red and has a bull cut into it, which I found eye-catching. I have no idea whether the normal RedBull has the same thing, but it certainly stood out for me on this one.



INGREDIENTS

As stated on the can:
Water, Sugar, Carbon Dioxide, Caramel Sugar Syrup, Natural Flavourings from Plant Extracts (0.37%): Galangal, Vanilla, Mustard Seeds, Caffeine from Coffee Beans (0.013%), Lime, Kola Nut, Cocoa, Liquorice, Cinnamon, Lemon, Ginger, Coca Leaf, Orange, Corn Mint, Pine, Cardamom, Mace, Clove, Lemon Juice Concentrate

As expected, this new RedBull version is still a somehow stimulating drink (quoted at its back), however with 100% natural ingredients.
According to the can and the RedBull website, it has no:

- phosphoric acid
- preservatives
- artificial colouring
- artificial flavourings.

This probably means that it won't taste anything like Coca Cola, but that is the point anyway, isn't it ;)

Per 100ml, it still has about 38kcal, which I find to be a lot. Fair enough, there are drinks with higher caloric values, but you will find loads with less calories in them too. So it is a case of taking it or leaving it.



FIRST IMPRESSION

I chilled the redbull overnight.

Opening the can is just like with any other can using the same principle, so there weren't any particular problems or things standing out.
After opening it, the first smell is the one of cola. On getting closer to the drink, you will notice that it doesn't actually smell like Coca Cola at all, but rather like those gummibear cola bottles or even cola lollies.

I found that smell a bit offputting, but then again I do not like cola flavoured things anyway, unless it is the drink. However, it certainly does smell herbal somehow.



TASTE

If you are expecting a mixture of RedBull with Cola, then you are mistaken. There is no RedBull flavour at all, but only the one of herbal cola.

The drink is carbonated, but not as much as other drinks are nowadays. It is thus easy to drink in bigger gulps, if you fancy doing so.
The taste itself is extremely hard to describe. Once I had it in my mouth, it tasted like a herbal drink, with a faint cola taste in the background.
The aftertaste is first bitter, which I personally do not find very appealing. After that, you will notice a sticky-sweet aftertaste in your mouth, as if you had just eaten a cola lolly. I found myself to be unable to finish the whole can, because it got really sickening.




OVERVIEW

Apart from an appealing design, I would not really recommend this drink to people for two main reasons.
The first reason would be the price. People are willing to pay more for branded products or things they like, which is fair enough. However, although this drink does not taste cheap, I believe that there are better tasting and probably cheaper alternatives on the market which you might enjoy more.

Secondly, I do not find the taste nice. This is obviously a personal preference, and some people might like it. I think that the taste is too artificial and bitter-sweet to be nice, and it makes you thirsty afterwards. I do not think that this product really fits the RedBull range and cannot imagine it to be selling very well- but if you like it, then enjoy it!

Summary: not worth its' price, if you want a proper cola taste, don't buy this one.