These connoisseurs of the shot market provided me with a few rather interesting drinks, one of which was iShot Skinny. Now I have to admit I’m not exactly their target market, but I figured it was my duty to bite the bullet and drink it even at the risk of disappearing when I turn side on to people.

This little white iShot Skinny Bottle might be the godsend to those who just may like the drive-through a little too much.

Taste

The packaging and the provided blurb have informed me that iShot Skinny has an acai berry orientated taste. However, I’ve never had the berry on its own so I can’t confirm this. What I can say though, is that it tastes somewhat like Ribena (or to you Americans, summer fruits). Whilst this may not be to your taste, it is to mine. It’s not over powering yet still strong enough to give it a defined and sweet flavour.

iShot Skinny Ingredients

This is where all you health freaks might have to change your trousers as this drink is packing a lot. It contains a rather nice 78mg of caffeine and a rather nice selection of your needed B vitamins. However, where it differs is iShot Skinny’s use of orange peel, acai berry and green tea (all well known for encouraging weight loss).

Effect

Well I’ve not wasted away so I don’t think I’ve lost any weight, but then again it’s not aimed at my body type. However, I feel if someone boasting a “muffin top” drank iShot Skinny over a long period of time it might well help as long as they skipped their daily “muffin” of course. With regards to the caffeine I have to say the little boost was nice although not as much as I’d hope for in a shot drink.

iShot Skinny Verdict

This little packet of joy is cute to look at, nice to the taste and whilst I can’t confirm it made me lose any weight due to the fact that there isn’t much fat on me to start with, I have to say the science behind the ingredients and their quantities suggest that iShot Skinny Energy Shot might well be able to aid someone in shedding a few pounds as part of a Calorie restricted diet.

iShot Love Potion, the cheeky buggers, have come up with a new drink that lets you go all night long (the bottle even says so)! Now whilst I hope my girlfriend doesn’t read these reviews, I thought it would be fun to take these drinks away for out Valentines week away to see what they really did.

In hindsight I really did not need any “prompting” so this review might be slightly biased, but either way here is an insight into the wonderful world of the little black bottle called iShot Love Potion.

Taste

I have to admit I struggled to find a definitive flavour here, as it didn’t come with any real hints as to what it was supposed to be. Even after trying it a few times, I was unable to come up with an exact taste. What I can say is that it is defiantly different, however, iShot Love Potion is light, fruity, and pretty tasty.

iShot Love Potion Ingredients

iShot Love Potion All Night contains a nice little packet of caffeine (90mg) and a healthy dose of B vitamins. However, this is the important part, this drink contains a pleasure blend consisting of Damiana, Korean Ginseng, Green Tea and Guarana. This blend makes up around 760mg which after a little snooping on the net I found out was enough to give even the most lifeless pensioner a little bit of a chubby.

Effect

Ahh, back to caffeine! The caffeine content I have to say gave me a little kick but not much. It was just enough to keep me up for that little bit longer on our nights away, but then again, this is meant to be taken at night so caffeine isn’t that much of an issue. As far as the sexy content of this drink went I have to say, I can’t confirm Love Potion’s claims but the science behind it says it helps.

iShot Love Potion Verdict

So far iShot has given us hyperactivity, weight loss, and now a raging hard on (or female equivalent, yes its unisex). This drink looks funky, tastes pretty cool and to the best of my knowledge has the potential to cost you a lot of money in bed replacements. However, whether or not iShot Love Potion replaces the coveted little blue pill is something I can’t say, but what I can say is this is a lot more interesting then a pill and contains a nice little bit of caffeine to keep you up that little bit longer.

Reviewed by Don Juan Josh Nathan

Some smart cookie out there has made a drink that makes you sleep like a baby and feel like a god in the morning.

Taste

I struggled a little bit to define this flavour of Good Night, however, it tastes a little bit like slightly fizzy pears and apples. Whilst I normally like a stronger flavour I felt as though this matched the idea behind the drink as a light and refreshing tipple just before bedtime.

Good Night Ingredients

This relaxation drink uses a combination of melatonin, lavender, and rose hip to help put the drinker under. It must contain some other stuff, but I couldn’t find the ingredients in English listed anywhere.

Effect

I think it’s very rare for a drink to fulfill its marketing pitch, however, in this case I have to agree with everything the website has to say about Good Night. I am by no means a stress free person and on the day I tried the drink I think I was probably more stressed and hyped up then normal. I cracked open Good Night Relaxation Drink and within probably 30 minutes I was asleep (which is really rare for me). When I woke up I was refreshed and pretty energized (even without my wake up coffee).

Good Night Drink Verdict

Apart from a slightly spaced out feeling I had after drinking it (which might have had nothing to do with the drink), this stuff is amazing. It tastes good, it made me sleep like a baby and it gave me an amazing amount of energy in the morning. If you are like me and find yourself struggling to sleep or distressed then crack open a can of Good Night.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan

However, not here. Diva’s Energy Drink is directly marketed at women. Now I hear you say, Josh, you’re not a woman and the fact is I’m not, but I’m going to do my best to take a woman’s perspective on this drink instead of my normal approach which revolves around the concept of ohhhhh caffeine.

Taste

The taste of Diva’s is extremely pleasant although slightly odd at first. It’s not exactly what I’d associate with the normal energy drink. The flavour itself doesn’t seem to be confined to a single fruit, but instead a somewhat flowery pallet. I wouldn’t say it was overly sweet, but there is a certain syrupy undertone to it that I think in large quantities could be slightly sickening. That being said, as a single 250ml can it’s really quite nice.

Diva’s Energy Drink Ingredients

At 80mg of caffeine there’s not much in here, but it also contains something called Kacip Fatimah which is supposedly good for your skin, which is good for women and good for those gamers out there who spend to much time bathed in the glow of their computer screens.

Effect

I have to admit I didn’t get any considerable buzz from Diva’s Energy Drink, but then again at around 80mg per 250ml, I wasn’t expecting the mind-blowing hits of some of the other drinks I’ve reviewed. However, all is not lost. Firstly, it had a somewhat pleasant refreshing effect instead of an awakening effect that I normally expect. Secondly, I feel that the target market might get a core sustained “buzz” from this drink.

Diva’s Energy Drink Verdict

Whilst I feel somewhat weird sitting in public writing this with Diva’s Energy Drink that says for woman on it in large pink letters, I have to say it’s not half bad. It has a pleasant taste, subtle yet interesting graphics and a nice discrete effect that, whilst not the punch in the face I some times desire, Diva’s still a nice change. I reckon if you’re a woman and looking for something that’s different then give this a go. If you’re a bloke then drink Diva’s Energy anyway and confuse those around you.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan

Acai supplements have become quite popular as of late, so it was only a matter of time before an energy drink was released with an Acai base.

28 Energy, which has become popular in Europe (Calidris 28), has sent us a sample of its White and Black drinks for review. The two are essentially the same, with the exception that White has no sugar.

Taste

The place where 28 Energy really shines is in the taste department. This was my first run-in with Acai, so I cannot vouch for how close it tastes to the actual fruit. However, I can tell you these drinks taste great. The flavor is much like a sweet grape flavor, with a pleasant sour finish to it. In addition to that, the 28 Energy Drinks taste substantially the same.

After trying both, I concluded it would be time for a blind taste test. So, I had a friend pour each into a glass without telling me which was the sugar-free one. I could not tell any difference and I think that is the the hallmark of a company dedicated to its healthier fans.

Ingredients

Both White and Black have 80 mg of Caffeine, 100% of you daily value of Vitamin C and 99% DV of Niacin, along with 3 mg of Coenzyme Q10. Interestingly enough, the Black drink has more B Vitamins than the White, but it is a negligible difference (Black: B6 – 250%, B12 – 80% vs White: B6 – 125%, B12 – 20%). 28 Energy Black also has 36 grams of sugar, while White has 0.

Effect

I was skeptical when I read that each 28 Energy Drink had only 80 mg of Caffeine. I drank one of these in the morning and it made me slightly more awake and focused, but this did not last long. When I had the Black, I crashed pretty hard. The White did not have the crash factor, but the energy was substandard. I found these were useful for the mid-afternoon pickup. 28 Energy gave me enough of a lift to get through a lengthy and boring class and I was still able to sleep soundly that night.

Verdict

28 Energy is a strong newcomer in the market. These drinks are a good alternative for those people who still get a buzz from a can of Red Bull, but are looking for an improvement in the taste department. For me, I need a stronger ingredient profile to get the lift I’m looking for. However, I still really enjoyed the taste of The 28 Energy Black and White. Give it a shot if you find a can in your area.

Reviewed by Jason Kleindorfer

You can buy White online here.

You can buy Black online here.

iShot, I have to say, is none of them its little and simple package is all that’s needed to sell this product. Although I do have one problem with it and this seems to be a mistake a lot of energy drink companies are making… They keep putting “contains the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee” *face palms*, this is of no use as I am sure the caffeine content in my coffee could down an elephant.

Taste

I am not a fan of the shot, only one really holds my heart (UberShot), but iShot is just as good. Whilst iShot (as have all energy shots), discounted the fact that sugar exists in the world, it still has a slightly sweet taste that doesn’t remind you of licking a chemistry lab’s floor. I am not entirely sure what the flavour is supposed to be as they dubbed it ‘original’ which I have to say is a bit annoying. The only way I can describe the flavour is if you took Red Bull and then added Ribena to it. Now before you ask, yes I did try this and my findings seem to be correct.

Ingredients

Well apart from the elusive 1 cup of coffee it contains, it also contains a hefty helping of guarana, ginseng and green tea with none of these being specified in any direct quantities. Although it’s taurine content is 1.66% which is .96 of a ml. However, this seems to be as a far as I can go with the given details. On further examination of the iShot website, I find that iShot contains 120mg of caffeine.

Effect

This is my favorite part of the review… telling the public how I either got a buzz, nothing, or the need to use the nearest bathroom. I took the entire iShot Energy Shot in one swift gulp as the packet informed me to do so for maximum effect (logical, no?). Whilst the effect wasn’t amazing it was enough for what I was using it for, as a driving aid. I felt good for a fair few hours and the downer was nonexistent, so iShot did what is was supposed to do.

Verdict

I have tasted a lot of energy shots even some coming from my favourite companies and no one really seems to get the taste right, but iShot seems to have found its way past the rest and to the top of the taste tree. As for its effects I would say if you’re looking for a kick that’s going to knock you down this might not be for you, but as a logical energy shot to keep you on the ball iShot’s perfect.
Note: iShot also has a great tasting Acai Berry caffeine free shot, however, since we are caffeine addicts here at Energy Fiend, we can’t possibly evaluate the effectiveness of a caffeine free shot. Someone with no caffeine tolerance would have to judge this and we definitely aren’t one of those rare people.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan

Well receiving the Vibe Energy Gum was like reliving my childhood. These little test tubes of energy love are some of the most confusing things I’ve ever eaten. The package clearly states gum yet when you open it up you have these tablets that look like vitamins.

Dubious to see what would happen I put one in my mouth, waited, chewed, and then suddenly the Vibe Energy Gum tablet morphed into gum. If that isn’t magic I don’t know what is.

Taste

If you open the tube and sniff it, it smells like, well, chewing gum and the same goes for taste. It’s light and refreshing and bares no resemblance to energy drinks or, well anything, but good old fashioned chewing gum. So Vibe is a great substitute for normal chewing gum, if you feel everything you eat has to give you a buzz… like me. One of the best things is that the taste doesn’t seem to fade even if it’s been a while since I started to chew Vibe. The flavor is still there and going strong.

Effect

According to the Vibe Energy Gum packet, every two tablets is the same as a 250ml can of  of your standard energy drink. However, it stated the effect was delivered 4-5 times faster and I have to say it was. Now I don’t do anything by half’s and I never have a single can so I ate the equivalent of 2 and a half cans in one go.

Within a few minutes I was more alert even though I didn’t sleep last night and I’m writing this review thanks to the fact that I’m chewing on the Vibe caffeinated goodness. Although its caffeine content is not mind blowing, you can eat a lot of it without even realizing it, so these magical tablets get the vote from me.

Ingredients

Per 2g piece we have: 40.5mg caffeine, 10mg Ginseng, and 3.5mg Guarana

Verdict

Like a magnum shotgun shell, Vibe Energy Gum is a tiny tube packing a punch. Although it makes you look a bit mental eating things out of what looks like tiny cigar tubes, these things are pretty awesome. Best of all they fit perfectly into a shotgun cartridge holder so I can wonder the fields with a handily supply of my favorite substance.Luckily for me they slide all the way through my barrel so I can’t fire them, although the idea of fire caffeine does make me smile.

On a more serious note, Vibe Energy Gum is a good buy and they provided a good boost that doesn’t make you loose concentration. Vibe, you get the thumbs up here, it’s a great bit of caffeine based chemistry.

The little red bottle caught my eye straight away when I was fumbling through my mail at work. After reading the little leaflet I got with it, I have to say I was eager to try it. Not only this, but anything that has any form of German undertone, I start expecting a lot  from due to previous experience and I have to say in hind-sight this drink delivered.

I was low on caffeine as it was and with a sustainability meeting in the afternoon I had to do something quickly. So without a second thought I cracked open the little bottle and downed it without stopping to think. Whether this was down to the cute packaging or the somewhat mystical facts and figures that accompanied it, I would not know.

Taste

I never know what to expect with drinks that label their flavour as ‘original’ and yet again I was impressed with this flavour in the sense that I couldn’t work it out and with only 58ml to draft a conclusion from I was at a bit of a loss.  However, if I get updated on what the flavour is I will pass it on to all of you.

Back on track with the flavour… I have to say I like it, Ubershot’s slightly acidic and it’s quite refreshing. However, due to the sucralose that has been used to replace the sugar, it reminded me a little bit of the cheap sugar-free fruit concentrates. But, this didn’t bother me as it was only a single gulp with a decent boost in energy.

Ingredients

Ubershot isn’t “Uber” for nothing….It’s pretty packed, boasting a pretty impressive energy blend consisting of Taurine, Glucuronolactone, Caffeine (210mg), and amino acids. Usually B vitamins are included in the energy blend, but Uber lists them seperatly with a healthy dose of B12, B6, B9, B3, and B5.

Effect

As with every energy drink I test, I test them in different circumstances and I have to say that this one performed well in all of them. I have to say the feeling was pleasant and it died off slowly instead of dropping instantly after a few hours. In the majority of the tests, I only took 1 Ubershot, but when I was driving I took 2 which I have to say made me feel a little odd. Not really buzzing, but more spaced out which I have to say isn’t the best thing when you’ve been on the road for 5 hours.

However, I have to say these are perfect as a mid-day drink to keep you pumped up for the rest of the day (or at least till the end of work). I don’t really have a bad thing to say about the effect unless you overdose and then I guess there’s never a good thing to say.

Conclusion

Okay, so in my eyes it doesn’t taste perfect, but the pros out weigh the cons. Ubershot is a great drink it gives you a boost, its small, and best of all it looks sexy. I still have the empty bottle just because Ubershot look so good. I have to tip my hat to them, its one classy drink with a decent taste and effect.

Reviewed by Josh Nathan

The infamous original flavour that tasted like nothing original at all and of course the Orange flavour that I spent most of childhood downing. This drink, however, unlike the other two had a very definitive taste and aroma.

Taste

So I cracked open a Lucozade Cherry and gave it a good sniff.  As with wine, if energy drinks smell fowl then they normally taste the same. When I did this I got a strong waft of cherry and it reminded me instantly of Cherry Drops and cherry cough sweets. Although a little bit overpowering at first, I took a good long gulp and was pleasantly surprised. It tasted like it smelled. It was like drinking cherry jam which is a really nice feeling to be honest.

The taste itself was really rather sweet and if you lack the sweet tooth this isn’t a drink for you. After finishing the first one, I went straight onto the next and downed that pretty quickly as well and I have to say by this point the taste was getting a little overbearing. I don’t think it’s a drink that can be had in to large a quantity. As with any quick succession of drinks the ensuing belching tasted like cherry ice cream which was pleasant, I guess, but really got on my nerves as it started to make me feel some what queasy.

Now I’m not saying this is the effect that everyone will get,  but I drank Lucozade Cherry like I do after a rugby match which is to just down a couple and I’m good to go. I have to say this had a different effect on me. It was a lot harder to stomach the sweetness in comparison to the other flavours as an after sport drink.

Ingredients

Lucozade Cherry doesn’t have much to brag about in this category, basically glucose, vitamin c and 46mg of caffeine per 380ml bottle.

Feeling

Well apart from the sickly feeling mentioned above (due to my own fault), it gave the same boost as the good old Lucozade  Energy did. There’s nothing different or special in this one ingredient wise. The steady flow of sugar into my system brought me back up to par after going for a run as have all other Lucozade’s in the past.

Verdict

I’m not a massive fan of cherries, but I felt it was my duty to try this drink out and I have to say I really liked it. I think in my mind it serves a different purpose to the other Lucozades. This one isn’t a drink you down at the end of a game, it’s something you drink over a long period of time and savour the sweet taste. Although Lucozade Cherry’s not a drink for me in its own right, I reckon it’s something a lot of people will like and something people should defiantly try.

When I got this I was so excited. This is an energy drink that for me is almost as amazing as ERECTUS, (another British energy drink that once I find I will be reviewing as well).

In its own right it’s classed as an exclusive energy drink, one that you find in some of the top end clubs in London like the Mews, which is where I first fell in love with it. Stupidly I had the package sent to work, which the goods manager found very amusing when a long package arrived with “PUSSY” written on it.

He very openly delivered the brown package to my desk and exclaimed “Here is your pussy Josh” which took not only me by surprise but the entire office. Giggling aside I opened up the package and with drew the can, it felt like drawing the sword from the stone. A childhood excitement came over me… CHRISTMAS HAD COME!

Taste

Since Pussy only sent me one can, I had to wait for the right moment to crack it open. When the time came, I opened up the can and gave it a good sniff.  The smell of what I can only imagine to be Chinese flowers came to mind. It wasn’t how I remembered it, but I was quite drunk at the time so this was starting a fresh.

I took a sip and was really surprised it had a really subtle taste. Unlike other energy drinks I’ve had which are quite strong, this one was easily drinkable and was a nice change from the standard taste of Relentless and the likes. Over all, the taste was really quite pleasant, but for some reason Pussy made me think that it was more orientated for the female market.

Ingredients

Nothing artificial in this Pussy as it claims to be all natural using a juice blend for flavour and 6 herbs; Milk Thistle, Guarana, Siberian Ginseng, Sarsaparilla, Schizandra, Ginko Biloba. With 90mg of Caffeine.

The Buzz

Well I only have one 250ml can of Pussy Energy Drink so the buzz was not incredible, but for some reason I don’t think this is a drink that your supposed to get an amazing buzz from. It was more of just a pick me up. After about 20 minutes I felt only slightly more alert then before, but not enough to say I was substantially more awake then I had been prior to Pussy.

Verdict

Pussy Energy Drink is something different alright and the name is just downright amusing being right up there with Big Cock Energy Drink.  Whether it would become a staple part of my energy drink diet I don’t know. I would however defiantly recommend it as a drink to try after all, it is Pussy in a can.