Jetset Tonic

Some would call an energy drink company crazy for making such a flavor, tonic. Jetset, I'm sure, wasn't made fun of because they're not only an energy drink company, but a energy drink mixer as well. Jetset isn't that great taste-wise, or kick-wise, but I'm sure as a mixer they would do pretty good. I know Jetset Tonic will give a pretty bland and bitter flavor, but that's okay because it's not usually meant to be drunken by itself. The can design is once again pretty cool. Around the upper rim of the can, there are clocks with times from around the world like: Rome, San Fransisco, Dubai, Ibiza, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Paris, Buenas Aires, Miami, Tokyo, London, Las Vegas, Rio, New York, and Chicago. It's a bit random if you ask me, but whatever, it's not bad. The background is their usual swirl, but this time the color is light orange, like the color of an orange creamsicle. On the back of the can, there's a silhouette of a DJ wearing headphones and mixing records with the phrase "Mile High Energy" below him. Well, I'm still expecting a rebound from Jetset, let's see if they can actually soar a mile high.

The scent as I pop open the can is bitter tonic, just like the stuff you buy in the mixers aisle, bland. Jetset Tonic has a pretty clear color to it, aside from the many tiny bubbles from the carbonation. Hm, interesting. It's flavor seems to be pretty sweet, with little bitterness from the tonic in the background. I'm going to try my best to determine the 'sweet' flavor you get from taking a sip. I'm going to say it's syrupy sweet, next to a minor amount of original Red Bull flavor, but later gets attacked by a bitter tonic flavor and dissipates fast. About towards the end of the can, the flavor gets a bit dull from the HFCS and the bitterness kicks in the form an awkward flavor. The aftertaste is not so much a taste, as much as more of a feeling on the sides of the mouth. It's that feeling of bitterness that closes up the back of the cheek. It's not too carbonated, just a basic carbonation you get from most Monsters and Red Bulls and all the clones around it. Although I can taste some of that dull HFCS, I can't seem to find any gumminess within. I'll try chugging it...the result is yet the same, no gumminess, only that bitter feeling. Overall, it tastes a whole lot better than I had expected it to taste like, beating the Club Soda and tasting more like the Original, but not as sweet.

The ingredients in this 10.5 once can are in a hard to read small and shiny silver font goes like this: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, taurine, caffeine, quinine, natural flavors, inositol, guarana, ginseng, and niacin. I've seen quinine in the Howling Monkey Cola, but it's a key ingredient in tonic water. In fact, the quinine was added to the drink as a prophylactic against malaria, since it was originally intended for consumption in tropical areas of South Asia and Africa where that disease is endemic. The quinine also gives it that 'glow' when immersed into darkness. It contains HFCS, which in this drink, played a pretty big part by giving it a dull, syrupy taste. Per 10.5 oucne can, you get an average 130 calories (If you do the math), and a small 29g of sugar. It's an okay amount of sugar for the amount of sweetness in the drink, as well as the amount of calories for the amount of flavor. I admire Jetset the most for the great amount of energy ingredients they place in their energy mixers. You get 1,000mg of taurine, 120mg of caffeine, 25mg of guarana, and 25mg of ginseng. After the drink and after the kick, I think I really enjoyed the Tonic the most. If you're one of those people that just want to drink this itself, I'm going to tell you to do so if you had a choice between all the Jetsets.

Taste: 6 - Aside from the bitterness, there was a decent syrupy Red Bull-like flavor
Kick: 6.5 - The kick was actually somewhat better than that of the other Jetset flavors
Overall: 6.2 - You know, it's not so much an energy drink, but a mixer, so I have lay off on the mediocre flavor it delivers

Reviewed by: Chan

Jetset Club Soda

Jetset sure does come out with some odd energy drink flavors. A local Bevmo came in handy as I picked up a few Jetsets to review, and today the lucky Jetset is the Club Soda. I've been so curious to try the Jetsets ever since I heard about them about a half a year ago and right now I'm extremely pumped up and ready to crack it open. Jetset does a nice job in can designs by having shades of blue spiraling back and behind the logo which is vertically streched across the can in a casual font. Club Soda is printed below it in a simple bubble-like white font while Energy is stenciled in a lighter blue shade and in all lowercase letters. I like how Jetset put random clocks on the top of the can like the times from San Fransisco, Dubai, Ibiza, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Buenas Aires, Miami, Tokyo, London, Las Vegas, Rio, New York, Chicago, and Rome. Jetset separates themselves in can size because they use an odd 10.5 ounce can, which is pretty cool. I remember back about a month ago when I reviewed the Jetset Original, I was deeply disappointed in the lame artificial Red Bull taste and did not recommend it. Well, we still have quite a few Jetsets to come, there's plenty of time for them to be redeemed. In the meantime, let's crack this one open and check it out.

I crack it open with joy and dive my nose in to get no scent whatsoever, but a heck of a lot of bubbles and fizzing. The color isn't surprising being just clear, like carbonated water, but a lot more fizziness and a large foamy head. The flavor let me down, tasting nearly bland, just water and carbonation with just a little bit of classic Monster flavor. The sweet Monster flavor attacks the taste buds instantly after taking a sip, but then a swarm of bitterness rises and takes over, resulting in a bland can of carbonated club soda. I understand that this is a mixer for alcoholic beverages, but as an energy drink, this is a piece of junk, literally. The aftertaste is really nothing but minor bitterness, nothing drastic. It's heavily carbonated, which makes it extremely hard to sip more than a quarter of an ounce at a time. In fact, I noticed those little gas bubbles jumping a few inches out of the drink and into the air, that's a first in energy drinks. It's not gummy because it doesn't really use any sweetener, not even sucralose or acesulfame potassium, nothing. Overall, if you don't plan to mix this drink with anything, or in other words, just drink it straight out of the can like me, just don't buy it. Trust me, with the $2.00 you use on this, you're better off with a Monster flavor.

It has basic ingredients listed from the top: carbonated water, citric acid, taurine, caffeine, mineral blend (sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, sodium citrate), inositol, guarana, ginseng, niacin, pyridoxine HCL, calcium pantothenate, and vitamin B12. I wish it were sweetened just a bit more, although I know it's club soda, it really could have used more of a zing. Per can, you don't get any calories, nor do you get fat, sugar, carbs, nor protein. At least it wasn't loaded with calories because that would have been pretty big waste, for no flavor. Taurine is a standard 1000mg (1300mg per can) per serving, inositol is 50mg(65-70mg), ginseng, is 25mg(35-40mg), caffeine is a whopping 120mg(130-135mg), and gurana is only 25mg(35-40). The kick is pretty good so far, especially with that guarana and caffeine amount in that can, not bad at all. This is one of the first times I've reviewed a drink where the kick is better than the taste. Hey, that's how it goes I guess. All in all, if you're not a drinker, you'd better stay away from one of these and just head for a Monster, seriously.

Taste: 3 - Eh, way bland; it's pretty hard to find a flavor buried under all that bitterness too
Kick: 7 - the kick is pretty good; I like the amount of caffeine they put in one of these
Overall: 5 - Forget about this one, Jetset really needs to improve their drinks if they want to be classified as a good energy drink company...

Reviewed by: Chan

Jetset Original

A trip to a local BevMo really payed off because there, you'll find the whole Jetset collection, as well as many other interesting energy drinks. Along with the Bawls Guarana, I got the Jetset original, then hurried home with eagerness. This Jetset has a trippy bulls eye type red background with the words Jetset energy original vertically across the odd 10.5 ounce can. I got this drink wondering if it's 8 ounces or 12 ounces, I was very confused until a scan around the can revealed a 10.5 ounce label. I noticed some clocks at the top of the can,showing the time of places around the world, such as San Francisco, Rome, Chicago, New York, Rio, Las Vegas, London, Tokyo, and Miami. I'm not too sure what to expect in this drink, possibly a basic apple raspberry, with some tartness. Just for kicks, I'll tell you that Jetset's motto is "Mile High Energy" so I may be getting a boost that'll send me a 'mile high'. I'm afraid this paragraph is a bit short, but oh well, it's fine.

I open the can quickly to get a usual apple raspberry aroma, and now I feel a bit disappointed because I would think Jetset would break away from that mainstream flavor and mix it up. I pour it into my glass cup only to notice a deep amber color, much deeper than a Monster. Because it's a mixer I'll excuse it's light Red Bull-like taste. Jetset Original's got a sweet apple-raspberry flavor, like Monster but a whole lot sweeter. It fades away in the mouth really quickly, but leaves with an addicting milky fruit taste. I can tell you that if you buy Jetset original, buy two because it goes really fast. I'm reminiscing the flavor to be that of the Hype and the Hype MFP, because it's got that light apple taste with a sweet vanilla aftertaste. Although it's not surprisingly carbonated, I recommend you do not chug this drink because it's flavor is really smooth and mild. Jetset does give a nasty gummy taste that lingers, but it doesn't get in the way too much. Overall, Jetset really isn't one to get if your in need of a tasty energy drink, but if you want a great mixer, Jetset's line of energy mixers are for you.

As for ingredients, Jetset has carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup (That's why it had a slightly dull taste), glucose, taurine, caffeine, natural and artificial flavors, guarana, ginseng, B vitamins, caramel color, and riboflavin, I'm pretty sure more people would like this drink better if it was sweetened with sucrose and glucose, like a Monster, or Red Bull. Per 10.5 ounce can, you get a decent 105 calories, and only 25g of sugar. You can really taste a lot of sweetness in this drink but then there's only 25g of sugar, how odd. Jetset gives only 1000mg of taurine, but a flaming 120mg of caffeine. So, if this drink were in a 16 ounce can, it would have around 180-200mg, pretty awesome kick! Jetset original really didn't impress me as much as I thought it wold, but it had a decent taste by itself. If you find one of these, I say you should mix it with another beverage, such as Gatorade, or fruit juice, if you're not an alcohol fan. Overall, it tasted like a lamer version of the Hype, but an improved version of the Red Bull, or Rockstar. Unless you're gonna mix the Jetset, don't buy it.

Taste: 7.1 - It got boring towards the end of the drink... now I see why its only 10.5 ounces
Kick: 7 - A standard energy drink kick, nothing that would send you a mile high
Overall: 7 - Jetset didn't amaze me like I thought it would

Reviewed by: Chan

Jetset Ginger Ale

They seem to have everything at BevMo. It's a local market that sells all sorts of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. While we were there, we picked up a couple Jetsets, which we had heard were fantastic. I chose the ginger ale just because I wanted something with some flavor. What makes this line of drinks special is that they are meant for mixing with alcohol, which would explain the odd flavors such as tonic and club soda. The can design look a lot sleeker and nicer than most energy drinks, which improves the image of the drink. I haven't had ginger ale in an extremely long time and I'm very eager to try it out. To quickly gauge the kind of sweetness I'm going to face before I open it, I'm looking at the back of the can. In 10.5oz, there are 26g of sugar and it's in the form of -what a surprise- HFCS. I should expect it to be light and dull. I'll find out in a moment.

Just as I had suspected, it tastes of strong ginger and light sweetness. But it isn't as dull as I had expected it to be. It's relatively crisp and bright, even though it does use HFCS. The best part in drinking it is the beginning of the sip, when it's at its crispest and sourest. A very nice, spicy and cinnamony ginger takes front and center, and then fades away to reveal lots of fizz and some bothersome gumminess. Then, it becomes a bit too fizzy over your tongue, feeling a little uncomfortable. However the taste is so irresistible, in my mind, that none of the discomfort gets between me and the flavor. It's probably less fizzy and gummy when mixed with alcohol, but I know the dangers and I'm not taking that risk, even though the fizziness and gumminess combined are now becoming quite unbearable and the taste is getting old fast. I don't know whether to recommend this for its taste or not. There's most likely a better ginger ale out there.

On kick, Jetset really performs. I felt a pretty good, gradual kick that made me more alert and energetic. Judging by the ingredients, this Jetset is pretty strong. There are 120mg of Caffeine, which isn't bad at all for a 10.5oz can. There are also a whole bunch of energy ingredients, listed right on the side of the can. Per can, there are 1000mg of Taurine, 50mg of Inositol, 25mg Ginseng, 50mg Glucuronolactone, and 25mg of Guarana. This can holds 105 calories, which is about normal, and packs 26g of sugar, which seems like less when you drink it. If you're into energy drink mixers, this is perhaps for you.

Taste: 7 - Okay, but it gets old, and there are probably better ginger ales out there
Kick: 8.5 - You'll love the kick
Overall: 7.5 - Great mixer, I suppose, but not the best alone

Reviewed by: Jeff