NOS Energy Drink

Posted on January 2, 2014 | Last updated February 21, 2025

The original NOS Energy Drink by Coca-Cola (now under the Monster Energy umbrella).

After I published my review in 2014, NOS gained a lot of popularity and became a smash hit, selling out immediately at an event opening at a U.S. military base. It's become a legendary product.

NOS Energy Drink

Manufacturer	Coca Cola
Country of Origin	USA
Price	2 USD
Flavor	Orange、Pineapple、Peach、Lemon
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.

Taste of NOS Energy Drink

The color is a yellowish, cloudy glow—just like an energy drink should be. The sweet aroma doesn't quite prepare you for the taste.

NOS Energy Drink
When you drink it, it's a refreshing blend of sweet and sour flavors, with citrus fruits like orange, lemon, pineapple, papaya, peach, and tropical fruits mixed together. It's incredibly delicious. The excitement I felt the first time I drank it, combined with the repeated enjoyment and the continued taste sensation, never fades.

It’s not overly sweet or sour, the aroma isn’t too strong, and when you imagine the individual flavors of the fruits, you can really taste each one distinctly. And the best part? There’s no fruit juice in it...

There’s no artificial, chemical taste, and before you know it, you've finished the entire 437ml can.

NOS Energy Drink
It's perfectly delicious when cold, and when you add ice, the refreshing sensation makes you want to gulp it down. In the peak of summer, drinking NOS will leave you unable to forget its deliciousness. (^_^;)

Energy Ingredients of NOS Energy Drink

NOS Energy Drink Ingredients
It contains 160mg of caffeine, taurine, guarana, and inositol. This is the current formulation since NOS became part of Monster Energy under Coca-Cola.

NOS Energy Drink Ingredients
When it was sold by Coca-Cola, the initial recipe included ingredients like ginseng and carnitine. Later, these were replaced by theanine, creating the "CMPLX6" ingredient blend.

NOS Energy Drink Ingredients
Since becoming part of Monster Energy, theanine was removed, but the CMPLX6 name has been kept, with inositol replacing theanine in the recipe.

Design of NOS Energy Drink

The NOS Energy Drink series is unique worldwide, using the design of the "Nitrous Oxide System" (NOS) that injects into engines, as the design and branding for the drink (licensed for use).

NOS Energy Drink Design
Many people will likely feel their excitement rise just by looking at this can. Its design conveys its intensity.

The straight "NOS" logo was used during the Coca-Cola era, while the slanted logo is the one used after NOS became part of Monster Energy.

NOS Energy Drink Design
NOS is primarily sold in the U.S. and Canada, with cans available in 355ml, 473ml, and 710ml sizes. As I mentioned in the taste review, if NOS Original tastes this good, you might want to drink the 710ml on your own, not just share it.

NOS Energy Drink Design
The 710ml screw-cap type is common for brands like Monster Energy and Rockstar, but it’s rare in other energy drink brands in North America these days.

NOS Energy Drink Design
Currently, NOS uses a standard silver tab, but at launch, it had a blue tab. With the expanding variety of flavors and NOS now under Monster Energy, it would be exciting to see more color tabs introduced in the future.