The New 5-Hour Energy Flavor Tastes Like One of Our Favorite Movie Theater Candies

Sorry, let me check the calendar. This isn’t an April Fool’s drop? Nope! Everyone’s favorite brand of bottled caffeine is releasing a red licorice flavor in time for—get this—National Licorice Day on April 12. Here’s what we know about the latest 5-Hour Energy flavor.

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What sort of red licorice are we talking about here?

If you’re a candy guy, you’re aware that “red licorice” can mean a few things. If you’re from the West Coast, the red licorice candy you probably think of first are Red Vines, which are “original red” flavored. What is “original red”? It’s a sort of non-descript blend of sugar, berries (maybe?), and something mint-adjacent. But on the East Coast, Twizzlers are the red licorice of choice, and those are a more straight-forward strawberry flavor. Which version of red licorice is the new red licorice 5-Hour Energy angling for? Based on the imagery, it looks like they’re going the Twizzlers route. Red Licorice joins the brand’s lineup of 17 flavors of bottled energy shots, which range from standard (Cherry, Grape, Watermelon) to weird (Fruity Rainbow, Confetti Craze, Cotton Candy, Hawaiian Breeze).

Hey, I’m totally new to the concept of 5-Hour Energy. What’s it all about?

Thankfully, I can rely on Sporked contributor Luke Field to breakdown 5-Hour Energy’s “energy blend.” “Caffeine is not the only component of the Energy Blend. Also included are the following: taurine, glucuronic acid, malic acid, Citrocine, N-Acetyl, L-Tyrosine, and L-phenylalanine. Those last two are amino acids that are components of dopamine.” No matter how you dress it up, that energy blend will always be at the base of any flavor 5-Hour Energy chooses to drop.

Keep an eye out for this new 5-Hour Energy flavor on April 10—your National Licorice Day plans are set!