Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG BODY&SALT

Posted on May 15, 2019 | Last updated February 9, 2025

Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG BODY&SALT
Matsukiyo Energy Drink’s 2019 summer edition, BODY & SALT. This unique energy drink contains Okinawan salt, making it seem like an energy drink designed to help prevent heatstroke.

Since it's a limited-edition release and will be discontinued once stocks run out, grab yours while you can!

Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG BODY&SALT

Manufacturer
Country of Origin
Price	150 JPY
Flavor	Grape
Total rating	★★★☆☆

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 7,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

Flavor of Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG BODY and SALT

Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG BODY&SALT
Matsukiyo Energy Drinks have become more of a novelty series, and this time, the liquid inside isn’t the blue of the can but a deep red, similar to dragon fruit. Since it's a naturally occurring color, it doesn't feel out of place at all to me (●´ω｀●).

The press release described it as having a "sports drink flavor," but upon tasting it, that’s not quite accurate. The aroma is a classic grape scent, and from the first sip, you get a pleasant tartness and a rich fruity grape flavor—an unexpectedly delicious surprise!

The aftertaste has a hint of bitterness and astringency, adding a realistic grape-like depth. It's hard to believe this is a Matsukiyo energy drink! The strong aroma lingers, enhancing satisfaction, and I really enjoy this kind of finish. Unlike cheap carbonated grape sodas, this has a well-balanced, high-quality taste. Nice!

That said, for something marketed as a "sports drink flavor," the taste and aroma might be a bit too strong.

Matsukiyo Energy Drink Releases New BODY and SALT (May 8, 2019)

Most people probably don’t read press releases, so it’s not a big deal, but if you buy this expecting a sports drink flavor, the actual taste might feel quite different from what you anticipated. Dorin-kun, who updated the news about BODY and SALT’s release, felt the same way!

Energy Ingredients of Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG BODY&SALT

Contains 162.5mg of caffeine, 500mg of arginine, 3,000mg of citric acid, and 0.625g of Okinawan salt.
Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG BODY&SALT
Since this is a summer-oriented product, the inclusion of Okinawan salt gives it a slight resemblance to a heatstroke prevention drink, but the saltiness is barely noticeable. As I mentioned in the review, it’s simply a delicious grape flavor.

A Shift Toward Normal Flavors? I’m All for It!

Up until now, the Matsukiyo Energy Drink series has leaned towards unpalatable novelty flavors—drinks that make you think, "I wouldn’t buy a second one." It felt like they were entirely focused on being attention-grabbing for social media. But this time, BODY and SALT offers a serious, well-balanced taste, where you can fully enjoy the grape’s sweetness, tartness, and astringency along with its rich aroma. I actually really like it (●´ω｀●).

Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG BODY&SALT
The series has always aimed for shock value with unexpected color contrasts—this time, a blue can with red liquid—but when the drink itself is genuinely tasty, there’s no need for gimmicks.

The previous release, CAFOON, was so overwhelmingly harsh that it became infamous on social media. As a result, I often see tweets saying, "Matsukiyo energy drinks are awful." Whether good or bad, this new release has defied expectations.

Review of Matsukiyo Energy Drink EX STRONG CAFOON

Going viral for being "disgusting" may spread brand awareness, but if the reputation becomes "Matsukiyo energy drinks taste terrible," that’s not great for long-term branding. Judging from Twitter reactions, this perception has stuck even until the launch of BODY and SALT. To be honest, even Dorin-kun only bought this drink for the sake of reviewing it, not because they wanted to Σ(´∀｀；).

On a side note, Matsukiyo's private brand chocolate crunch protein bar is actually really good—it’s affordable, packed with great ingredients, and genuinely tasty. I bet a lot of people are regular buyers. Maybe it’s time for their energy drink line to tone down the gimmicks and focus on creating something that spreads through word-of-mouth because it’s actually delicious. That’s how I felt after trying the new BODY and SALT (*´ｪ`*).