Into2 Cranberry energy

Into2 came out of the gate with three drinks. A Regular, a Sugar Free and this Cranberry flavored drink. I was not impressed much with the regular and sugar free, as they were just not unique enough to warrant releasing another clone onto the marketplace. So I was completely surprised by the cranberry flavor, being one of the best tasting energy drinks I have had in a very long while. The unique flavor of the cranberry is superb, and would not hesitate recommending this to any cranberry lover, cocktail bar, or any caffeine fiend who wished for something out of the ordinary.

Buzz: 6
The same energy complex that is in the original is in here as well. There is 80mg of caffeine, along with taurine and all the usual suspects. The interesting thing I found is the use of real sugar (no HFCS) as well as using real cranberry juice - a brilliant move. While not a powerhouse of energy, it is at least comparable to other energy drinks. There is the usual energy drink staples in here, like taurine and vitamin B, with the benefits of cranberry juice as well.

For being in the smaller energy drink size, this was expected, but I would love to see this drink in a larger size, just to help give people the caffeine doses they are used to.

Taste:10
The tartness of the cranberry was completely refreshing and delicious. I have not had many cranberry drinks before, and was surprised by how much I loved it. Unlike their regular drinks, the carbonation and the tartness made this a difficult drink to slam down, instead I had to slowly drink this can - and savor the flavor. You could tell they used real cranberry juice in here - as nothing tasted medicinal or artificial, tasting like real cranberries. This did not taste like an energy drink at all,instead flavored just like a fizzy cranberry juice.

Just to be sure it could hold up, I mixed this up with some vodka and it handled itself very well, tasting sweet, tart and just perfect. My next combination included adding some Van Gogh chocolate liquer into it, and it turned into a sublime dessert cocktail. Even the lingering aftertaste was a light sweet cranberry that faded after the first minute or so.

I am glad there are not many other cranberry energy drinks out there - because this one would be almost impossible to top.

Packaging:8
Into2's strong point was the can, being one of the more beautifully designed cans out there. Covered in black and deep vivid cranberry red, there is a ton of barely readable grunge fonts used in the design, which works very nicely. This not only stands out from the rest of the drinks in my energy fridge, but would stand out in any club or dangling from a fashionista's hand.
The basics of can design are also apparent. The lid is facing inward, so the label of the drink is clear when you drink it. There is a listing of caffeine and all the other ingredients nicely and clearly. The only misstep is there is no double facing on the can making it harder on shelf stockers to keep pointing the drinks in the correct position. still, for a smaller drink this design is quite lovely.