Wave

Not too long ago, I requested samples of Wave energy, and the other day I received my samples in the mail; four can's of Wave, and four can's of Wave S/F. Wave is made by Wave Energy Drink LLC, and to my knowledge, all they make is Wave Energy. Wave is said to be "all natural," but don't go thinking Wave is healthy, as it contains a high 300 calories. Now, while I doubt Wave will be anything revolutionary or new, I'm interested to see how this relatively unknown drink turns out.

FIRST IMPRESSION: Waves can utilizes a blend of minimal text and graphics to create a clean design, and though it works, it makes the can feel boring and rather generic. The wave is quite tame for something that's supposed to give you energy, and the name "Wave" doesn't really fit energy drinks. Though the can misses the target, it's at least an improvement over the original design. Still, unless the can's image is changed, the only place I can see Wave selling well is Sea-World. Being that I requested samples, I'm really looking forward to the rest of Wave, though I'm a bit concerned on whether or not the flavour and buzz will be better than the can.

TASTE: Wave starts out like a classic Red Bull clone, but soon things change. The initial flavour is a blend of gummy cotton candy and sweet vanilla. With the prior blend gradually decreasing in strength, a mix of blueberry and apple surfaces. The blueberry is very sweet and somewhat sour, where as the apple tastes artificial. Both fusions ride along side each other for a short amount time, and as they both begin to disappear, a soft grape becomes present, but it's tailed by a reemerging vanilla. The vanilla is stronger than the grape, thus overpowering it. The whole experience ends with a sour bite, and a slight bubble gum aftertaste. Overall, I was reminded of Hype while I drank Wave, which is a good thing. Though I feel that Hype's taste was a bit better and more original, Wave is still a fun spin on a classic flavour.

KICK: Each can contains: Taurine, caffeine, inositol, L-Lysine, choline bitartrate, guarana, ninety six percent of your daily intake of Vit. B5, and B12, twenty eight percent of your daily intake of Vit. B1, 480% of your daily intake of Vit. B6, 172% of your daily intake of Vit. B2, and 192% of your daily intake of Vit. B3. The kick I received from Wave was on par with average. For an acceptable three hours, I felt mentally improved, more focused, and I had a bit more energy. Wave is billed as having less caffeine than other energy drinks, which for me, the Caffeine King, is a disappointment. Once the three hours ended, I didn't crash, but I was well aware that I wasn't as alert as I was.

FINAL WORD: Wave is quite an interesting energy drink, but not exactly for all the right reasons. It's not every day you see an energy drink with a Sea-World like can, and billed with having a lesser caffeine content than most. These factors put Wave in a niche market, and only the interesting though rather routine flavour prevents Wave from being too niche to be recommended. The can, taste, and the kick are all things that I feel justify Wave being sold for less than the typical energy drink, perhaps $.99 or $1.49, and if I saw it for that price, I wouldn't mind picking up a can...3.3/5

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