Shark Energy Drink Review 2017

After what seemed like a brief hiatus from shelves, Shark is back! And it is time for an update and a review of both the regular, and the sugar-free versions. Both of these were sent to me by the company to see what has changed.

Taste

The regular version goes by Shark Stimulation Original flavor, while the sugar free one simply goes by Shark Sugar Free. Both of these come in a 250 mL can that looks like all other 250 mL cans, but upon closer inspection you will notice that the bottom has a straight taper giving it a sleek look.

Shark Stimulation Original

Pour this into a glass before trying it. I was expecting to see Red Bull's orangy color, but what I got was a light yellow color that is almost perfectly clear. On the other hand, the aroma is very similar to that of Red Bull but with a touch more citrus acidity.

But, like with the Shark I had 6 years ago, most of the Red Bull similarities stop at the aroma. Shark has a mellower mouthfeel with round candy-like sweetness to every note. You get a mix of berries and citrus that start off light, but build up quickly and leave a very pleasant aftertaste that is not too sweet.

To me, this tastes like a slightly better version of Red Bull without its acidic bite and softer carbonation. I liked Shark 6 years ago and I like this version just as much.

Sugar Free

The Sugar Free version has a more neon yellow color and has an aroma that is slightly closer to that of Red Bull. The mouthfeel is a little thinner than the original version and seems a little less round with a little more of a bite. The candy-like sweetness is present for a brief moment but it feels distant due to the lack of sugar. The berries and citrus are most noticeable near the finish and in the aftertaste, which has an interesting creaminess to it.

Overall, I kinda like this Sugar Free version. There are very few traces of the lack of sugar and the moderate bite and creaminess it has, distinguish it from other similar drinks.

Energy

There are 80 mg of caffeine in both these cans. One thing to note is the reduced amount of taurine. The Original flavor has 120 mg per can while the sugar free version only 7.5 mg.

The energy effects are the same as any other 250 mL can. The difference between the Original and the Sugar Free versions are the jitters the sugary one gave me for a few minutes. If you are looking for something without the jitters, go for the Sugar Free version which has a more controlled kick.

Scores:
Cost - samples provided, but available through 7-11 and online
Taste - 8.8/10 (Original), 9/10 (Sugar Free)
Energy - 6/10

Overall - 14.8/20 to 15/20...richer and rounder flavor than Red Bull with the same kick