Shirley Temple Celsius Flavor: Early Taste Preview

In the previous year, CELSIUS introduced their inaugural Spritz Vibe, kicking off what would become a lineup of cocktail-inspired flavors. The debut edition leaned into the classic after-ski Aperol Spritz, while this year’s Summer Edition heavily featured a Limoncello twist. In my reviews, both Spritz Vibe iterations earned 7.5 sporks out of ten, a result that seemed to prompt a personal response from CELSIUS. The second yearly “Winter Edition” Spritz Vibe this time pivots away from a direct cocktail and toward a mocktail inspiration: the Shirley Temple… albeit with a bit of ambiguity. I’ll delve into that ambiguity within the review itself, but we’ll start by giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Credit goes to CELSIUS for sending over a few early samples of their latest flavor; now, let’s discover whether this Spritz Vibe can charm us as effectively as a bowl of soup with animal crackers.

CELSIUS Spritz Vibe Winter Edition: Shirley Temple Energy Review

Fresh CELSIUS flavor debuts!

Pros: This stands out as my favorite Spritz Vibe to date by a comfortable margin. The cherry notes pair beautifully with the citrus tang, yielding a reliably sweet-tart energy drink among competitors who often swing too far in one direction or the other. I’m eager to drink my way through the sample cans I received… even if I’m not entirely sold on the flavor’s name.

Cons: The flavor profile listed for CELSIUS’ Spritz Vibe Winter Edition: Shirley Temple is cherry, citrus, and lime. The traditional Shirley Temple, however, calls for ginger ale (often swapped for lemon-lime soda), grenadine, and maraschino cherries.

Those descriptor sets may seem close enough, but a crucial distinction remains: grenadine is not cherry. Grenadine comes from pomegranate syrup, and reducing a Shirley Temple to just cherry and lemon-lime without that grenadine nuance fails to capture the nostalgic essence. CELSIUS has crafted a delightful sparkling cherry-lemon-limeade energy drink, but I’m not convinced it’s the exact Shirley Temple aficionados are hoping for.

Rating:

8/10

Where can I get the new CELSIUS Winter Edition for myself?

What cocktail should CELSIUS tackle in their next Spritz Vibe flavor?

Listen, I have dreams. CELSIUS produces some of the best cola-flavored energy beverages around, so I’d be overjoyed to see them tackle a Jack and Coke in a Spritz Vibe. I could also imagine the wintry brightness of a Vodka Cranberry evolving into their next Winter Edition. Which cocktail would you like to see CELSIUS translate into an energy drink next? Share your ideas in the comments below, for both me and the brand to see.