Reign Mang-O-Matic

Introduction

As a fan of mango drinks in general I’m pumped to try Mang-O-Matic. Since Monster owns Reign (fun fact), I’m curious if it will taste like Mango Loco, which is more of a juice blend, or NOS Nitro Mango which is more of the classic, sparkling energy drink. The 300mg of caffeine doesn’t hurt either.

Appearance

6 for appearance since I like, but don’t love the Reign cans and orange + blue is a nice color scheme for the Reign logo. That is a knight on the can, right? 90% is it, 10% I’m an idiot and it’s obviously something else.

Taste

Taste is definitely more on the NOS Nitro Mango side. It’s not even close to the juice, syrup-y flavor that you get with Monster Mango Logo. While I remember Nitro Mango having a strong mango flavor, this is more dialed back. It’s still sweet, but the sweet reminds me of a soda sweetener. Less of a strong, fruity sweetness. All that said, it’s an excellent flavor. 8 for me. It’s refreshing, and the dialed back mango flavor makes it more re-drinkable, in my opinion.

Kick

Kick is nice with 300mg of caffeine. I also like that it has electrolytes, for those of you who would consider this before or after a workout.

Conclusion

Overall I’m impressed. It’s different from the other common Mango energy drinks on the market, and with 300mg of caffeine it absolutely has its niche. I’m interested to hear from the people, if you all share my opinion on re-drinkability. I think the refreshing sweetness in tandem with the light mango flavor are an excellent combination.

Introduction

Reign Mang-O-Matic is an extremely artificial mango cotton candy taste. I am starting to think that I am harsher on these mixed mango beverages because I love mangos so much, and combining them with these other odd selections just ruins it for me. The excessive artificial cotton candy taste brings what should be a great beverage down to a 5.9/10. Reign does most things right across the board. The mouthfeel is great, and the caffeine content is high with 300mg per can (18.75mg/floz). Unfortunately, this specific flavor in combination with their energy blend and sweetener selection just does not do it for me.

Upside

A solid kick, decent flavor, and great mouthfeel make Reign Mang-O-Matic a solid option. Reign is among my highest recommended brands, so even their lesser flavors are superior to many. If you insist on having a mango cotton candy flavor, you could do a lot worse than the Reign rendition. If you want an actual great tasting beverage, try a different Reign. Chances are you will enjoy it more than Mang-O-Matic.

Downside

As far as Reign flavors, Mang-O-Matic falls short. I keep rating mixed mango flavors lower than most, but I swear I love mango. The artificial cotton candy flavoring is just too distracting. Mango is supposed to be an enjoyable and relaxing flavor. When you think of mango beverages, you think of relaxing on the beach with some friends, kicking back and getting some sun. Reign Mang-O-Matic is too bold and artificial for me to enjoy it as such, so it is rated lower than others. Also, the appearance is slightly below average because light teal and orange do not go well together. Besides the odd colors, Reign has a pretty solid logo.

Upshot

As far as Reign beverages go, this is terrible. As far as energy drinks go in general, this is a fine option. The artificial flavor reminds me of Rip It, and the hint of cotton candy reminds me of Rockstar Thermo Neon Blast. I have Reign Mang-O-Matic rated higher than any Rip It flavor as well as Neon Blast, but it is a shame that I have to compare a Reign flavor to those horrible beverages. If you want a unique mango cotton candy flavor, you probably will not hate this beverage. If you want something refreshing and delicious, try a different Reign flavor.

Appearance

Reign cans are nothing if not consistent. If you've seen one you've seen them all. That being said, I like the colors they chose for the for this flavor. Aqua green and light orange don't sound like a good pairing, but I think it works well here.

Taste

Reign knows how to create flavors. Unsurprising considering the brand is the creation of Monster. Mang-O-Matic is obviously a very mango flavor. I found the flavor to be less of a juiced mango and closer to a mango flavored soda. This is not a knock on the taste, it's actually quite good. Thankfully, it avoids the trap of tasting highly artificial. Honestly it's another delicious beverage from Reign.

Kick

Mang-O-Matic has 300mg of caffeine. It's a legitimate amount that roughly equates to 3 cups of coffee and change.

Overall

I was impressed by Mang-O-Matic. Reign continues to make elite flavors and this is no exception. My only gripes are the cheesy name and the 300mg of caffeine. I find 300mg to be too much for me personally and I never drink a whole can at once. I try not to hold that against Reign too much, as the energy drink market has clearly shifted to offering more and more drinks with 300mg. Another observation with the majority of Reign's drinks is that they offer a level of consistency and simplicity not found in many energy drink companies. I find it a bit boring at times but the fact that they have a variety of strong flavors in similar packaging is reassuring. This is another delicious drink from Reign.