Real Gold Rocket Start

Flavor of Real Gold Rocket Start

The first impression when opening the can is the bitter grapefruit aroma that bursts out, but as you get used to it, you notice a slight chemical and sweet scent mixed in, and when pouring it into a glass, you can also smell the familiar fragrance of original Real Gold.

The liquid itself is a yellow color with a slight cloudiness, matching the image of the can. It’s not overly flashy.

The first taste is a light grapefruit flavor that doesn’t have much bitterness or sourness, and you can feel a touch of sweetness, making it easy to drink refreshingly. It’s different from the "sharp" sensation I had imagined before drinking it – surprisingly smooth to drink (*´ｪ`*).

There’s no bitter fruit taste or fresh pulp flavor, and as you continue drinking, the distinct taste of Real Gold becomes more noticeable, like a slightly easier-to-drink version of Real Gold mixed with grapefruit flavor.

The aftertaste is clean with no lingering aftereffects. There’s no strong taste from the grapefruit or Real Gold itself, and overall it’s easy to drink. The artificial taste is undeniable, but although it’s a bit questionable whether it really supports a "morning start," it certainly makes for a refreshing start to the day.

Can You Really Get a Rocket Start?

However, this isn’t a flavor that really delivers the punch you'd expect from a "rocket start," as the taste is quite mild (^_^;). You might find yourself finishing the 250ml can before you know it. It’s that easy to drink, with no strong flavors sticking out.

If the carbonation were more intense, creating a sparkling mouthfeel, it might match the "sharp and invigorating" catchphrase better.

I just noticed it says "strong carbonation" on the can Σ(・∀・；). I didn’t really feel that much carbonation though…

If you're looking for a real morning boost, something with strong carbonation and a refreshing sharpness, like Rockstar Sparkling, might give you that "kick."

Energy Ingredients of Real Gold Rocket Start

It doesn’t contain caffeine but includes familiar ingredients from Real Gold like royal jelly, ginseng extract, asparagine acid, and guarana extract.

In Japan, there’s often chatter about the dangers of caffeine in energy drinks, so it’s great to see Coca-Cola using this stance to release new products.

Real Gold Rocket Start: A Very Japanese Energy Drink

The commercial for Rocket Start features a salaryman as the character, which really gives off that "Japanese energy drink" vibe. It almost feels like a reincarnation of Regain Energy Drink. When it comes to energy drinks in Japan, the most hated term, "corporate drone energy drink," tends to follow it around. It's unfortunate.

Though, it’s clear they are playing this up as a joke, right?

Real Gold has been a symbolic brand that’s been sold with a "nutritional drink" vibe in Japan even before energy drinks became popular, and in a sense, it carries on the tradition of Japan’s nutritional drink culture. So, it’s not a bad thing to carry on that tradition in a playful way…ｗ

By the way, recently, the nutritional drink Lipovitan D has been making a serious effort to shed its old image of being the "elderly, corporate drone, outdated" type of drink (though I may be exaggerating) by adopting more positive, mainstream energy drink-style advertisements and changing into a brand that resonates with the modern energy drink audience in Japan. They've already completed this transformation.

Meanwhile, Real Gold, which has continued to position itself as a traditional energy-based beverage in Japan, has also switched to labeling "energy drink" with this Rocket Start. It seems they’re still exploring their direction, so I’m looking forward to seeing their next flavor and promotion (●´ω｀●).

Everyone's Real Gold Rocket Start taste and ingredient opinions and ratings

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