I’m not a huge fan of Rockstar at all. In fact, alongside Amp and Red Bull, Rockstar is one of my least favorite energy drink companies. Their inability to make consistently pleasing products with even a trace of quality really makes it hard for me to want to give the company my hard earned cash.

Alas, I found myself standing in line at my college eatery the other day, craving fruit punch, and I notice they have started to stock Rockstar Punched. I decided to give the drink a chance.

Review:

After popping the top on my can of Rockstar Punched, my nose was met with the immediately satisfying aroma of delicious fruit punch, tropical and sweet. The scent was full in body, and not largely artificial as I had honestly anticipated. Little trace of chemicals could be detected, but it was also hard to pinpoint exactly which fruits I was smelling. The mix of natural and artificial ingredients works out fine here, and the aroma of Punched is surprisingly solid.

Its flavor is also pretty good, if not a bit tart and too sugary. But still, it is fruit punch. And I love fruit punch. The carbonation wasn’t too offsetting, and there was not outstanding medicinal characteristic to be found in the pool of natural and artificial fruit flavorings. The texture is light and crisp, and the flavor is wholly satisfying. I did notice it caused a gritty texture to coat my teeth, something common in Rockstar products, so if you cringe easily this may not be for you.

The thing I was really worried about was the kick. Rockstar’s regular energy drink gives an awful, jittery, worthless sugar rush that leaves you feeling drained and a bit sick. I have no idea why people drink it. I was worried Punched would treat my body with the same disregard as its older brother.

Unfortunately, that assumption wasn’t entirely off. Once the boost kicked in, I started feeling too uncomfortable to sit still, started fidgeting, couldn’t concentrate, and just wanted to do something. Like a somersault. After the kick drained away I was lift feeling a bit crashed, but not heavily so. Not as much as I had anticipated anyway.

Rockstar Punched comes in a dual-serving 16 oz container for the industry standard price tag of $1.99.

Final Words

Rockstar Punched is certainly better than most of its relatives, namely the original Rockstar Energy Drink, when it comes to both aroma and flavor. The full fruity scent and satisfyingly sweet taste of Punched are much more appealing than the sugary salt-fest that is Rockstar Energy. It’s almost like a different team of people formulated this Energy Punch.

However, Punched does suffer from the same lackluster kick attributes as all Rockstar products, and it also leaves a gritty coating of substance around your teeth, making your mouth feel a bit uncomfortable. If you are craving Fruit Punch and are having caffeine withdrawals and are just completely desperate for an Energy Drink, go ahead and try this on. Otherwise, skip it.

Pros

• Delicious, full-bodied aroma
• Sweet and satisfying flavor

Cons

• Leaves a gritty texture over your teeth
• Awful Rockstar kick

Score: 6.44/10 (Below Average)

Aroma: 8.0/10
Taste: 7.75/10
Kick: 3.0/10
Value: 7.0/10