Ariana Losch
Before 2024, I was an energy drink virgin. Coffee has always been my go-to daily caffeine fix. (And it still is, to be honest.) I’ve been on quite the energy drink journey since then. I’ve realized I can’t tolerate super sweet energy drinks (sorry, Fast Twitch Gatorade) but do really enjoy some of the lighter caffeinated Red Bulls. As my creepy old neighbor used to say, “There’s a seat out there for everybody.” He meant that in a slightly different context, but you know what I mean! There’s an energy drink out there for everybody, and yours might just be one of the best Alani flavors.
What we looked for in the best Alani flavors:
- Sweetness that isn’t cloying: Given Alani’s zero-sugar base, I paid close attention to how overpowering or clean the sweetness is, and whether the aftertaste lingers too much.
- Flavor accuracy and nostalgia: The best Alani flavors are really good at delivering on nostalgic, familiar flavors, with a scary amount of accuracy.
- Creativity: Without spoiling anything, Alani has pretty much cornered the market on certain flavor profiles that you can’t get anywhere else. These deserve recognition—but they also have to be refreshing to make the list!
As always, comment below if you agree with this ranking or think my taste buds are completely deranged! I love a good debate.
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- Watermelon Wave
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Fake watermelon is a hard sell, but you know what? Even though I’ve put Watermelon Wave in very last place, I don’t hate it. Probably because there isn’t a ton of watermelon flavor in it to begin with. You get hints of berry, sour candy (malic acid, ftw), and a light essence of watermelon. It’s not bad, but it’s not one of the best Alani flavors you can buy, in my opinion. Unless you want to drink a lollipop. In which case, go for it.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Alani Nu Cotton Candy Energy Drink
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Blech, blech, blech, I say. Blech! Zero sugar cotton candy? Why? What are you trying to do to me? The combo of artificial sweetener and cotton candy flavoring is despicable. “Dang, Ariana. If you feel so strongly about this, how is it not dead last?” Well, the world does not revolve around my intolerance for sucralose, and I have to acknowledge that the cotton candy flavor is freakily accurate, as our go-to beverage correspondent Griffin Parker can attest. The flavor scientists at Alani aren’t messing around. But this is a great reminder that just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should, and that’s all I’m gonna say about this Alani Nu flavor.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Cherry Twist
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I have mixed feelings about Alani Nu Cherry Twist. Upon first sip, I loved it. It’s not very sweet, and thanks to the lime in the mix, the cherry tastes extra bold, sharp, and zingy. As I kept drinking, though, I just couldn’t shake the way the lime really lingers. It slowly overpowers the rest of the flavors and creates something a little too acidic. That said, to my fellow cherry-flavor apologists who may be intrigued by this one, definitely give it a try!
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Cosmic Stardust
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Cosmic Stardust is a mood. The dark purple packaging draws attention to the tart grape and bitter berry flavors mixed in, but I won’t be bamboozled. This is still pretty darn sweet, even if the aesthetic wants to convince me otherwise. I’ve seen some people compare this flavor to purple SweeTARTS, and I completely agree. Personally, I wish they upped the tartness and toned down the sucralose, but I don’t make the rules! It’s a sucralose world, and I’m just living in it.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Alani Nu Juicy Peach
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Juicy Peach seems to be one of those Alani flavors people love or hate, and to be honest, I’m solidly in the middle here. The artificiality of the peach is not awesome, I’ll agree, but to me it’s mainly the aftertaste that’s noticeably medicinal. The initial peach flavor is sunny and ripe, but it just doesn’t sit totally right after a few sips. Alani beverages have a pleasant carbonation level that isn’t too fizzy, which keeps the focus on the flavor, not the mouthfeel. Normally, that’s a pro in my book, but I almost wish this one tingled a little bit more so the sucralose didn’t linger as much.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Orange Kiss
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Overall, Orange Kiss is a pretty decent energy drink for orange beverage lovers. The citrus really balances the artificial sweetener, giving it a bright zing. To me, Orange Kiss is one of the more palatable flavors in the Alani line-up—but I’m more sensitive to sweetener than most. If you are, too, this might be one of the best Alani flavors to buy. But compared to some others on this list, it’s just a little boring, I’m sorry!
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Cherry Slush
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I have some pretty passionate opinions about Alani’s “slush” flavors. These were a mindf*ck, you guys. For those who don’t know, Alani slush energy drinks taste identical to slushie flavors at a movie theater or gas station, minus one key factor: the ice. So instead of imitating an actual Slurpee, brain freeze and all, they taste exactly like a melted one. It’s an incredible feat of beverage science and, at the same time, a little disappointing. When I sipped this, my first thought was, “What happened to my Slurpee? Why am I only getting the dregs?” Since cherry is my favorite Slurpee flavor, I was more disappointed in this flavor than I was in Blue Slush (see #5) or Pink Slush (see #4). Anyways, don’t drink this lukewarm. And I’m sorry for being dramatic—I actually do like it, but it’s really screwing with me, mentally.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Alani Nu Witch’s Brew
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Witch’s Brew is supposed to taste like tart green apple and caramel, and for the most part, it achieves that. It’s crisp and sour and gives that exact freaky-but-cozy vibe I’m looking for when spooky season rolls around. I’m also really fond of the way the green apple covers up the artificial sweetness. The caramel is really subtle—too subtle for some, but I actually appreciate the restraint. It’s not as good as the other fall offering from Alani (more on that below), but it’s still one of the best Alani flavors I’ve tried!
Credit: Liv Averett / Alani
- Blue Slush
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Blue Slush tastes exactly like a melted blue raspberry slushie, but once again, I can’t drink this without getting a little bit depressed. Like I’m drinking the last few drops of my movie theater slushie—except, wait a minute. What slushie? The slushie never existed in the first place. I’m missing something I never even had. Still, it ranks high among the best Alani flavors, because I’m amazed Alani has managed to recreate these Slurpee flavors with zero grams of sugar.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Pink Slush
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Pink Slush tastes less like a sad melted Slurpee or ICEE and more like a strawberry beverage, which is why I can drink it without feeling forlorn. It still has that signature popsicle-slushie aftertaste. The one that’s a little bit sour, a little bit salty, and blunt on the finish. It’s refreshing and complex.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Alani Nu Pumpkin Cream
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Fam, this might be one of my favorite holiday energy drinks ever made. Big words from someone who was an energy drink virgin a year ago, so yeah, take them with a grain of salt. This takes the cozy creaminess of Dream Float and adds warm pumpkin pie spices. It’s not one you’ll want to drink everyday, which right now is for the best, considering you can only get it in a variety pack with Witch’s Brew (c’mon, Alani, don’t do us like that). But just seeing this in my fridge in September made me happy.
Credit: Liv Averett / Alani
- Hawaiian Shaved Ice
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Alani wants to corner the market on slushie-, shaved ice-, and popsicle-flavored energy drinks, I think. And they have my full support. Alani Hawaiian Shaved Ice tastes wholly unique. It’s very tropical, with watermelon, strawberry, and a hint of coconut. It’s scarily accurate to what your cup of shaved ice tastes like after five minutes in the sun. Do I wish it was less chemically sweet? Always. But it’s gotta be one of the best Alani Nu flavors for the ingenuity alone.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Dream Float
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Alani Dream Float tastes exactly like a creamsicle. It’s freaky. I’m freaked out. And it doesn’t taste like a melted creamsicle, either, because it perfectly imitates the flavor journey of eating the real thing. You start with zingy orange and end on cozy vanilla ice cream—it’s genuinely like biting into a creamsicle, where the layers of flavor come in two parts. The fact that the drink ends so clearly on vanilla ice cream helps mask any artificial sweetener aftertaste. The only con? I’m not sure I want to drink an entire creamsicle-flavored energy drink. It’s more comforting than it is revitalizing. So while it might not be the best Alani pre workout flavor, it’s definitely among the best Alani flavors, period.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Breezeberry
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Breezeberry might be my coward’s version of first place. For the feat of beverage science alone, I’d name Dream Float the #1 best Alani Nu flavor. But Breezeberry, in my opinion, is so much more refreshing to drink. It’s the least sweet of all the flavors. You get blueberry, raspberry, and a hint of grape. It reminds me of blue Gatorade (but sweeter). If I’m getting ready to sweat, the last thing I want to do is drink something that tastes like ice cream. That’s not motivating—now I just want to sit on the couch and be lazy. But Breezeberry will keep me going. And for that, it’s the best Alani flavor of the bunch.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
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