Tasting Target’s Apple Cider Donut Energy Drink

This month brings an astonishing surge of apple-flavored energy drinks onto shelves. The eagerly anticipated return of Alani Nu Witch’s Brew, paired with a fresh red apple variant, leads a wave of new and returning apple-focused options from brands like Red Bull, Gorgie, Gorilla Mind, FLRT, and Bucked Up, among others. The apple flavor remains closely tied to autumn, and it has certainly found a home in the energy-drink cooler.

While most of the previously mentioned flavors draw inspiration from caramel apple, Unwell Beverages charts a distinctly different course for their August energy drink drop: Apple Cider Donut. Indeed, a staple found on Target endcaps has set aside the usual sweet-and-tart profile for something notably cozier. I picked up a can at Target to see how faithfully this energy drink mimics the classic autumn pastry.

Unwell Apple Cider Donut Energy Review

New Unwell Energy!

Pros: Color me impressed. Even if this flavor feels like an odd fit for an energy drink, there’s no doubt it delivers an unmistakable apple cider donut taste—largely thanks to the inclusion of real apple juice in the formula. This apple-cider-forward energy drink could win over both artificial-sugar skeptics and those who favor gentler sweetness (though I wouldn’t recommend sharing energy drinks with grandma).

I much prefer this to Unwell’s Red, White & Blueberry Energy release from earlier this year. I’d love to see more of Unwell’s real-fruit juice approach as they navigate the ongoing rocket-pop flavor trend.

Cons: Am I simply tired of energy drinks delivering warmth through cinnamon, whether real or artificial? Since meeting a cinnamon-allergic friend, I’ve become increasingly aware of how often cinnamon appears in products, justified or not. The drink undeniably provides a baked-good warmth regardless of serving temperature; given that plenty of people want their energy drinks ice-cold, cinnamon might not need to be part of the conversation.

Score:

7.5/10

What other Unwell drinks are available at Target?

This brand basically calls Target home; I’ve seen them in only a handful of other retailers since they debuted. As such, there are plenty of Unwell’s energy, protein, and hydration beverages dispersed throughout Target’s upscale grocery section.

In terms of energy drinks, alongside today’s autumn-limited drop, Unwell offers Passion Fruit Orange Guava, Pineapple Coconut, Cherry Lime, Watermelon, and Peach Sorbet. The Unwell Protein trio consists of Watermelon Strawberry, Raspberry Melon, and Peach Tangerine. Unwell’s bottled hydration line splits into two variants: lightly caffeinated and completely uncaffeinated. The caffeinated lineup includes Blackberry Açai, Kiwi Pineapple, Mango Citrus, Orange Hibiscus, and Strawberry; the uncaffeinated lineup is limited to Juicy Pear and Watermelon.