Rubyy Blood Orange Energy

Here’s our dilemma friends: the most renowned energy drink to call itself “premium” is Pimpjuice.

Need I say more? Rubyy is currently making quite a flashy entrance into the energy drink market with an effort to recalibrate our scale of what we can consider top-shelf energy drinks.

In fact, Rubyy goes so far as to call itself a “ultra-premium luxury” energy drink. Will it live up to this bold claim?

2010 UPDATE: Unfortunately the recession inflicted market couldn't support such a "luxury energy drink" . Rubyy went out of business.

Taste

There is no doubt in my mind that extensive work was put into the taste of this drink. The experience belongs in the orange-citrus category, but don’t expect to latch onto anything meaningful. Consuming this drink is like reading a book with an incredible opening chapter, but only blank pages to follow. There is no plot, little character development, and certainly no climax.

It tastes as if this drink was filtered and distilled repeatedly, it’s incredibly light and clear. At first, this is an undeniably enjoyable experience. By the end of the bottle, you take your last swallow longing for something more.

Ingredients

Within this subject lies this drink’s heart and soul: ruby blood oranges. Apparently they look all pretty and stuff, have a totally cool name, and are, like, hard to find and stuff. On this ingredient Rubyy hangs their “luxury premium” hat (well, that and the image, read on). Joining the orange party are tangerines and Valencia oranges. I hope you’re impressed by luxury oranges because if not the rest of the ingredients list is a total bore. The 80mg caffeine content is flanked by equally lame 100%DV contents of the B vitamins 6 and 12. Guarana says hi, too, from the bottom of the ingredients list.

Energy

In a word, meh. I thought I felt a gentle push, but when I turned around I discovered it was just the wind.

Verdict

When you’re looking to treat yourself to a luxury, will this drink do the trick? Let’s consider one more variable: image. I use that word in two forms. First, the packing is second-to-none. The bottle itself rivals Venom in build quality. The art work and matte finish are really quite incredible. Second, this drink is what’s popular among today’s “tastemakers”. When I first read that word in Rubyy’s PR material a sighed “whatever” escaped me. What they mean to say is that this is the drink of the bourgeoisie. Actors, singers, movie producers, models, CEOs, you name it. If they’re hip or rich, they drink this drink.

Considering Rubyy’s ‘image’ along with its special ingredients and unique taste, I’d have to say yes, this drink has earned its right to set itself apart from the middle class of the energy drink society as a “premium” drink. Is it a “luxury” drink? The $3.50 price says yes. Is it an “ultra-premium luxury” energy drink? Hey now, that may be pushing it.

Reviewed by Dusty Smith

Caffeine (mg) per Ounce