Red Bull Cherry Sakura Is Still Magic, Even Without Sugar

Ten years ago, the first Cherry Blossom-flavored Red Bull debuted as a Japanese Spring Edition. Today, we’ve got our hands on the first Sugarfree version to hit shelves anywhere on earth. Let’s find out whether this alternatively-sweetened Cherry Sakura Red Bull can live up to its full-sugar sibling.

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Thanks to Red Bull for sending over a few cans of the new Cherry Sakura Spring Edition Sugarfree energy drink for this review. Now if we can just get working on that pallet of Red Bull: Blue Scooby-Doo Gummy Iced Vanilla Berry I emalied you about last year…

New Sugarfree Red Bull!

Red Bull Spring Edition Sugarfree 2026: Cherry Sakura

Pros: While the initial aroma of the full-sugar Cherry Sakura Red Bull is very “Cherry Jolly Rancher,” this Sugarfree edition lets more of the cherry blossom’s floral notes through that candy cherry barricade. (That difference isn’t too surprising since the full-sugar version might as well be a drinkable Jolly Rancher.) Just like the full-sugar version, this drink pulls off tasting genuinely floral without tasting off-putting in a way few other cherry blossom-flavored products have managed.

This Sugarfree version is definitely a better fit than the full-sugar edition if you’ve got cherry cough syrup-related trauma. There’s no sticky mouthfeel after sipping this, just a smooth experience from top to bottom.

Cons: While I find myself increasingly impressed with each new Red Bull Sugarfree Edition I review, I still prefer the combination of monk fruit, erythritol, and sucralose used in the recent reformulation of Red Bull Zero. If I had my way, every sugarless Red Bull would use that mix of alternative sweeteners.

Credit: Griffin Parker / Red Bull

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

What’s coming next from Red Bull after Spring Edition: Cherry Sakura 2026?

The current rumors circulating online suggest that Red Bull Summer Edition 2026 will be Sudachi Lime. Sudachi is a Japanese citrus fruit popularly used as a flavoring in place of lemon or lime. As I said in my initial coverage, “Sudachi Lime” and “Cherry Sakura” are similar in composition; pairing a familiar flavor with a more exotic flavor is a proven way to introduce new concepts to Americans. Stay tuned to Sporked for further developments in the new Red Bull flavors space; I’m already digging for details on Red Bull Winter Edition 2026.