Sparkling Ice Caffeine Blue Raspberry

Introduction

Matt got a whole case of these bad boys so you know I had to steal one (with permission). I used to love Sparkling Ice when they came out, or at least got popular, when I was in high school circa 2014. I'm hoping Sparkling Ice+Caffeine brings back the bubbly goodness nostalgia that I remember so fondly.

Appearance

The can is pretty cool. Bubbles, ice, and the gradient blue design. Really says it all.

Taste

I pushed my luck and put this in the freezer to speed up the chilling process, and I have to say it paid off. It is absolutely freezing and has to be on the cusp of actually becoming ice.

As far as the actual taste, it's really freaking good. Blue raspberry is the one flavor that I don't mind being exceedingly sweet, and while it's not super sweet, I'd say it's a great balance. It is very carbonated, as expected. Does remind me of the carbonation from sparkling water with how tangible it is.

There is a slight aftertaste, and if I had to guess it comes from (1) the green tea extract and (2) the sucralose. Slightly bitter, which I don't mind, and then a bit of a syrupy aftertaste, which I also don't mind too much.

Kick

Only 70mg of caffeine which I didn't initially realize. I'm watching football while sipping this and it's not giving me any crazy boost, but it's definitely a nice experience - something bubbly and sweet to drink while pacifying my caffeine addiction.

Conclusion

Enjoyable drink and a worthwhile addition to Sparkling Ice's lineup. I think they should expand it to include a Sparkling Ice ++ Caffeine to juice up the content to at least 160mg. I feel like the flavor profile is strong enough to mask any taste from the caffeine as well.

Overall I think anyone like me, who likes or at least vividly remembers Sparkling Ice from back in the day, should try this drink out as well. It's a bubbly, balanced blue raspberry energy drink that I think you'll enjoy but not love.

Introduction

Sparkling Ice +Caffeine Blue Raspberry is incredibly delicious and refreshing. It would be rated far higher than an 8.6/10 overall if there was more caffeine. The blue raspberry taste is one of the best for energy drinks in my opinion, and the mouthfeel is fantastic with an apparent bite on the first sip. Unfortunately, it only has 70mg of caffeine (4.38mg/floz). If this had triple its caffeine content, I would not hesitate to purchase Sparkling Ice Blue Raspberry in bulk.

Upside

The upside is essentially everything except for the kick. The appearance is awesome with a 9.3/10. The blue on blue with white writing actually inspired me to impulse buy this the first time I saw it. The mouthfeel is incredible. It almost tastes overly carbonated while still light to provide a uniquely refreshing feel to it. It is as if I am sipping this on the beach even while sitting indoors. The taste is also a 9.2/10, which is easily in the top 10% of beverages on this site. I cannot stand normal sparkling water or LaCroix, so comparing Sparkling Ice Blue Raspberry to those would be blasphemous.

Downside

The obvious downside is that the caffeine content is only 70mg per can leaving the kick practically nonexistent. It is a 2.1/10 and not a 1.1/10 only because the first sip is exciting. When you complete the beverage, however, you may be craving caffeine as much as you were before drinking this.

Upshot

Sparkling Ice Blue Raspberry is elite in every way with the exception of kick. If the caffeine content were to triple, this could potentially make my top 10 list. It is refreshing, abundantly flavorful, and has an appealing and strong mouthfeel. I highly recommend this to people only looking for very low quantities of caffeine, but the truth is that I do not see how anyone would not enjoy this flavor.