5-Hour Energy Extra Strength Gets a Red Licorice Flavor

5-Hour Energy Extra Strength Red Licorice is here, and Living Essentials timed it for a reason: National Licorice Day was on April 12, and the brand dropped this one on April 8 to give you a few days of lead time. It's a limited-edition addition to the Extra Strength lineup, which means the same 230mg caffeine, zero sugar, and 1.93 fl oz format you already know -- just with a flavor profile that takes a hard left toward the candy aisle.

If you haven't dug into the Extra Strength formula before, it's more than a caffeine play. Our 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength breakdown covers why the citicoline and tyrosine stack make this shot worth a closer look compared to most competitors in the format. Red Licorice doesn't change any of that -- it just gives the lineup one of its more interesting flavor entries.

Red Licorice: Twizzlers Energy, Not Red Vines Energy

There's actually a real debate baked into this launch. "Red licorice" means different things depending on where you grew up. West Coast candy culture defaults to Red Vines -- that vaguely berry, slightly waxy original red flavor. East Coast tends to run Twizzlers, which are straightforwardly strawberry. The brand answered the question before anyone had to ask: the press release describes the flavor as "a burst of juicy strawberry sweetness with a subtle tangy kick, creating a smooth, bright, and craveable experience in every sip." That's Twizzlers territory.

An early review from SideQuesting -- who received product directly from 5-Hour Energy -- called it a potential all-time favorite flavor. An Amazon buyer noted it tastes best chilled, which tracks for anything in this sweetness profile. The limited-edition label is worth taking seriously. 5-Hour Energy has been aggressive with flavor launches lately (Cotton Candy and Fruity Rainbow both came through the same candy-inspired pipeline), and the brand hasn't signaled a permanent slot for Red Licorice. It's available now in 6-count packs for $15.99 on Amazon and 5hourEnergy.com -- roughly $2.67 a shot.

Quick Formula Check

Red Licorice uses the same core Extra Strength formula. No reformulation, no new ingredients -- this is entirely a flavor play. For the full breakdown of what's inside and what each ingredient does, our 5-Hour Energy Extra Strength article has it covered. Here's the condensed version:

• Caffeine (230mg) -- Blocks the signal in your brain that makes you feel tired. At 230mg, this sits in the upper-mid range for the shot category and falls comfortably within the performance-relevant range for most adults. The non-carbonated format means you can take it fast and move on.
• Taurine -- Supports muscle function and may take some of the edge off caffeine's more aggressive side effects. Individual dose not disclosed; it's part of a 2,000mg proprietary energy blend.
• N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine -- Helps your brain hold onto dopamine under stress and during sustained cognitive work. Most relevant when you're already running on fumes.
• L-Phenylalanine -- Upstream precursor to tyrosine in the same focus-and-drive pathway. Pairs with N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine to extend that effect. People with PKU should avoid this product.
• Citicoline -- The most interesting ingredient in the formula. Feeds your brain the raw material it needs for focus and recall. The effective doses from clinical research run 250-500mg; individual dose here isn't disclosed, which is the ongoing frustration with the proprietary blend format.
• Glucuronolactone and malic acid -- Both present in the energy blend. Malic acid supports the aerobic energy cycle and contributes the tart bite you'd expect in a flavor like this. Glucuronolactone is a category staple without standout isolated evidence.
• B vitamins -- Niacin (40mg), B6 (40mg), and B12 (500mcg). The B6 dose is on the high end -- habitual daily use at this level is worth monitoring. Occasional use isn't a concern for most healthy adults.
• Other ingredients -- Purified water, natural and artificial flavors (the strawberry licorice flavor system), sucralose for zero-calorie sweetness, and potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, and EDTA as preservatives and freshness protection.

Related Flavor Context

Red Licorice joins a lineup that has expanded meaningfully over the past year. The candy-inspired flavors (Cotton Candy, Fruity Rainbow, Birthday Cake, and now this) have become their own sub-thread within the Extra Strength range -- worth watching if you're tracking where the brand's flavor strategy is heading. The full current lineup is below.

• Red Licorice (Strawberry) (24 2 Oz. Bottles: $58.95)
• Berry (24 2 Oz. Bottles: $52.78)
• Birthday Cake (6 2 Oz. Bottles: $15.99)
• Blue Raspberry (24 2 Oz. Bottles: $48.97)
• Cherry (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)
• Cotton Candy (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)
• Cranberry Lime (6 2 Oz. Bottles: $15.99)
• Fan Fuel (24 2 Oz. Bottles: $58.95)
• Fruity Rainbow (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)
• Glow Motion (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)
• Grape (48 2 Oz. Bottles: $56.74)
• Hawaiian Breeze (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)
• Orange (12 2 Oz. Bottles: $25.82)
• Peach Mango (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $65.96)
• Sour Apple (48 2 Oz. Bottles: $79.99)
• Spicy Cinco de Mango (6 2 Oz. Bottles: $14.99)
• Strawberry Banana (12 2 Oz. Bottles: $33.82)
• Strawberry Watermelon (24 2 Oz. Bottles: $58.95)
• Tidal Twist (Pina-Colada) (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)
• Transfusion (6 2 Oz. Bottles: $14.18)
• Tropical Burst (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)
• Ultimate Citrus (12 2 Oz. Bottles: $28.69)
• Variety 2-Flavor (Extra Strength & Reg 5-Hour) (12 2 Oz. Bottles: $34.99)
• Variety Pack (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)
• Watermelon (30 2 Oz. Bottles: $68.95)

Where to Get Red Licorice

It's available now on through the links above and below in 6-count packs and potentially some larger options too. No brick-and-mortar availability has been announced, so online is your only confirmed route right now. Given the limited-edition framing, don't assume it'll sit around -- the brand's recent candy flavors have moved quickly.

This one is for anyone who's already on the Extra Strength formula and wants a flavor that isn't just another fruit variant, plus anyone who grew up eating Twizzlers and wants to see how well the nostalgia translates. It's a legitimately fun entry for the lineup, and if SideQuesting's early take holds up at scale, it may be the best flavor they've released in this candy series.