Move aside, energy drinks, there’s a new mother in town.
Have you ever wanted to drink an energy drink that tasted like something other than, well…an energy drink? That’s something Japanese beverage giant Suntory has been working on recently, and what they’ve come up with is a brand new product called Energy Milk.
Sold under Suntory’s Boss brand — better known for its canned coffee range and poster boy, American actor Tommy Lee Jones — this canned beverage is actually a really rare find. It’s only being sold at affiliated stores of Pan Pacific International Holdings (PPIH), which operates discount stores like Don Quijote.
▼ It’s also only made in limited numbers, as the in-store poster for the new drink says “PPIH Group Limited Quantity Exclusive“.
Back in March, Boss broke out into the world of energy drinks with a new beverage called “Iron Boss“, which looked and tasted like most other energy drinks on the market. And while Iron Boss was introduced to consumers with a big, flashy advertising campaign, this new Energy Milk appears to have quietly snuck onto the market relatively unnoticed.
In fact, looking at Suntory’s official page reveals…no mention of Energy Milk whatsoever. So when our Japanese-language reporter Mr Sato came across the new drink at Don Quijote, he immediately purchased a couple of cans and took them back to the office to see what they would taste like.
Mr Sato couldn’t imagine the taste of an “Energy Milk” — would it have that distinct energy drink taste and aroma? And would it sparkle on the tongue with a strong carbonated effervescence?
Looking at the package, it said “Milk Power Strengthened x Caffeine”. With each 185-millilitre (6.3-ounce) can containing 40 milligrams of caffeine, this promised to pack more of a coffee punch than a regular can of Boss milk coffee. It also said to “shake well before opening” so that’s exactly what Mr Sato did.
After giving it a vigorous shake, he opened the can and poured its contents into a cup.
There was no sense of energy in the cup, as the liquid had an opaque hue and no fizzy carbonation to excite the senses. It looked like coffee milk and had a milkshake-like aroma.
Appearances aren’t everything, though, and what Mr Sato really wanted to know was: would the beverage be able to give his tired self the energetic pick-up he so desperately needed?
It didn’t taste like an energy drink — instead, it tasted just like a sugar-free milk coffee. Well played, Boss! As for the energy, he didn’t feel anything at first, but then…he suddenly felt the blood rush to his eyes, making him feel more vitalised and awake.
Could this have been his mind playing tricks on him due to Boss’ clever packaging and marketing? Or was it the effect of the caffeine? He couldn’t be sure, but either way, the energy milk had done the trick and given him the afternoon pick-me-up he’d been wanting.
Now if only he had a McDonald’s straw to drink it with…
Photos ©SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]