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Full Throttle Original
if the health aspects of your energy drink don't concern you, this is a tasty and well designed product
Overall Score
/10
Overall
7.1
Full Throttle marries a clean design and well communicated brand image, with a sweet drink. Where it falls short for me is nutrition. 55 grams of sugar in a 16 fluid ounce drink is excessive, and by associating, brings 57g of carbohydrates with it. Those numbers, combined with high fructose corn syrup, are worth noting even for the least health conscious of energy drink consumers. I find that all of those qualities are too much for me to actively seek out the product. That said, if the health aspects of your energy drink don't concern you, this is a tasty and well designed product.
Taste
7.9
The Original is a citrus flavor, and has many flavor qualities that align with what you'd expect. I'd peg it most similarly to Mountain Dew, although admittedly, I have not had one in recent years. It has a stronger citrus flavor than Sprite, which is more refreshing and carbonated, as opposed to syrupy. Full Throttle has the classic sticky, sweet qualities akin to the soda fountain syrup. That is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if taste and sweetness are high on your list.
Appearance
8.7
The color scheme, huge graphic, and mantra that dominate the label make Full Throttle look like it is paraphernalia obtained from a biker gang. That's probably not too far off from what the company is going for. It evokes a blue-collar type of energy, with grit and determination, the opposite of the wacky flavors that Bang creates. Imagery aside, the can perfectly balances drama with simplicity. There is detail when necessary, but the graphics also don't try to fill every inch of the can. It's a clean, appealing can that also communicates its message well.
Kick
7.6
Full Throttle has 160mg of caffeine, approximately two cups of coffee. It's a respectable amount, as 160mg is a sweet spot for many consumers. Being the Original, 160mg is a fairly high amount, as I believe the growing crop of 300mg drinks is a more recent trend.
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