Tango looks a lot like the new Rumba (not the original Rumba can we reviewed over 4 years ago. The cans (Tango, Rumba and Samba) are all now blue with rays/beams coming from a colored ball/abstract fruit painting in the center. The name is spelled in some wacky Latin-inspired font that I've yet to identify. The names are double outlined. In this case, the name is "Tango", and the colored ball/fruit is pruple and looks like a plum or perhaps a grape grown on Chernobyl Farms. The rim of the can has some standard ingredient text, "L-carnitine, Ginseng, Taurine, B-Vitamins". The front touts, "Energy juice, 100% juice, non carbonated". The back has a painfully long fulmination on sitting and extolment for dancing. I'll spare you the details, but it involves seats, beats, vitamins, energy, nutrients, minerals, juice...and, of course, dancing. I would assume this drink is grape flavored, a quick look at the back of the can reveals the following main ingredients: Apple, Orange, Tangerine, Acai, Elderberry and Guava.
I'm pleased to say that Tango is a complete turnaround from the liquid pestilence packaged and distributed to the unsuspecting masses under the label "Rumba". Unlike Rumba, at no point while drinking Tango did I suspect I was being poisoned. I did suspect that someone informed them of how bad Rumba tasted, and they put a more concerted effort into making Tango into a beverage, and not another liquid metal solvent, like Rumba. (The previous statement is my opinion, I'm not absolutely positive that Rumba Energy Juice will successfully act as a liquid metal solvent) As the Stig has already complained, the can couldn't more graphically indicate that this is grape juice, and the ingredients couldn't more clearly state that there's not drop of grape juice in it.
Tango, which I drank quickly, as it was hot outside, and it didn't taste like drinking your own vomit (which if I've not clearly stated enough already, I'll beat a dead horse further and say, "like Rumba"). After quickly knocking it back, I felt as energized as I would be after knocking back any Monster Energy product.
$2.39 is all well and good, if you care that this is 100% juice, and perhaps the only product that anyone actually buys that even partially fits Hansen Natural's original value proposition/mission statement. Also, if you're dead set on getting a non carbonated drink, this might be worth the extra 40-90 cents you'll pay over what I would consider a reasonable price for this drink. On a closing note, where did the missing 1/2 oz. of drink go?
Tango is my first experience with this line of products, but I've heard the legend of how unspeakable the original Rumba tastes. Though I was hopeful this was a grape flavored energy drink, as I love grape juice, I wasn't at all disappointed by the juice mix Tango provides. In fact, I think Tango is a successful production of what Monster Mixxd (another Hansen product) failed epically at creating. The objective of the two drinks seems almost identical, while Monster produced a purplish drink that tastes like stirring all the Waffle House complimentary jelly packets into a glass of Mountain Dew, Tango has produced a fairly drinkable, refreshing and enjoyable energy juice drink. Part of that refreshment may be the distinct lack of sodium, only 10mg per serving. Without question both Monster Mixxd and Tango are more acceptable tasting the closer they are to frozen, Tango doesn't become unpleasant when it gets about 40 degrees F.
One thing Jason didn't question about Rumba was it's ability to invigorate the consumer. I agree completely with Tango. It's likely got a handsome dose of caffeine, and mixed with 62 carbs per can, that should certainly get you "off your seat, up on your feet, and get the day moving to a quicker beat". Oops, I forgot, I was going to save you the annoyance of Tango's clever wordplay.
That is where the accolades end. I purchased this drink at BP for $2.39. While you may argue that it's 100% juice, it's primarily juices that you can buy by the half gallon for $1.99 at the store (apple and orange). Since I don't know how much acai and elderberry are in Tango, I can't estimate if it's reasonable that the can costs a small fortune. Might I also add that it's not noted as being organic, which might also substantiate a bigger price tag.