Richard Branson heads to Red Bull HQ to taste the new Red Bull Winter Edition Pistachio & Berries, discovering an unusual flavour combination and considering where energy drinks fit into an active, balanced lifestyle.
I’m always interested in what makes us perform better. Whether I’m training, competing in HYROX, testing fitness technology or simply trying to fit more into a busy day, energy is inevitably part of the conversation. So, when I was invited along to Red Bull HQ for a tasting of its latest limited-edition flavour, I was intrigued to discover what the brand had come up with for winter.
The answer was not something I would have guessed: Red Bull Winter Edition Pistachio & Berries.
Launching across the UK from 28 September 2026, the new edition brings together pistachio and berries, balanced with caramel and creamy, nutty undertones. On paper, there is quite a lot happening, and I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect before tasting it. Pistachio is a flavour I associate far more readily with gelato, desserts and the seemingly unstoppable Dubai chocolate trend than an energy drink.
Yet that is probably the point. Red Bull has taken a flavour that has become increasingly familiar and put it somewhere unexpected. According to data supplied by the brand from Tastewise, online interest in pistachio has risen by 72% over the past 12 months, while it has emerged as a particularly fast-growing flavour within sweetened drinks.
So, what does Pistachio & Berries actually taste like?
At the tasting the berry element brings a fruitier note, while the caramel and creamy undertones soften the subtly pistachio flavour. It still has the recognisable character you would expect from a Red Bull Edition, but it is certainly different enough to make you stop and work out exactly what you are tasting.
I also like that the Winter Edition is available in both full-sugar and sugar-free versions. Personally, when it comes to sports, fitness and everyday wellbeing, I think choice matters. What works for someone heading into a demanding training session may not be what they want while sitting at a desk or meeting friends later in the day.
And this is perhaps where the wellbeing conversation around energy drinks becomes more interesting.
Energy isn’t the same thing as wellbeing
There is a tendency for almost everything associated with performance to be pulled into the wellness category, but an energy drink isn’t a replacement for sleep, nutritious food, hydration, recovery or fitness. Those are the foundations. For me, the more useful question is how products such as this fit around those foundations and how aware we are of what we’re consuming.
A 250ml can of the new Winter Edition contains 80mg of caffeine, alongside taurine and B vitamins. Red Bull describes that caffeine level as approximately equivalent to a cup of coffee, although caffeine levels in coffee can vary considerably depending on how it is prepared.
Caffeine is something many of us consume every day without thinking particularly hard about it, whether through coffee, tea or energy drinks. Timing matters too; a late caffeine hit isn’t particularly helpful if it subsequently interferes with the sleep you need to recover.
For most healthy adults, the UK Food Standards Agency advises that caffeine intake of up to 400mg a day is unlikely to cause adverse effects, although individual sensitivity varies. Pregnant women are advised to limit caffeine to 200mg per day. Energy drinks containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre also carry a label stating that they are not recommended for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women.
That doesn’t make caffeine inherently good or bad. It makes it something worth being conscious about.
The other sort of energy
Interestingly, Red Bull is positioning its Winter Edition around social occasions too: games nights, watch parties and the sort of evenings that move indoors as the weather changes. From a wellbeing perspective, I think there is something in that which goes beyond what is inside the can.
We talk a great deal about exercise, nutrition and recovery, but connection and having fun with other people are part of wellbeing too. I spend plenty of my time pushing myself physically, but not every worthwhile experience needs a finish line, personal best or performance metric attached to it. Sometimes getting together with friends, laughing, competing over something completely inconsequential and switching off from work is exactly what is needed.
Of course, if you’re drinking a caffeinated drink during an evening gathering, it’s worth remembering that caffeine can remain in the body for several hours. If you know it affects your sleep, the earlier part of the evening may be the better time to enjoy it.
Would I drink it again?
The Pistachio & Berries combination surprised me. It sounds as though it shouldn’t necessarily work, but the fruitiness of the berries and the sweeter, creamy pistachio notes make it much more approachable than I expected. If you’re already a Red Bull drinker and like trying the Editions, this is certainly one of the more unusual flavours I’ve encountered.
More broadly, visiting Red Bull HQ was another reminder that the world of performance and wellbeing doesn’t need to be approached in absolutes. I’m interested in being fit and healthy, but I’m equally interested in living a life that is enjoyable. For me, wellbeing is not about constructing an impossibly perfect routine or pretending we never consume sugar or caffeine. It is about understanding the choices we make, knowing what works for our own bodies and keeping the bigger picture in balance.
And if somebody offers me pistachio and berries in a can, apparently I’m willing to give that a go too.
Red Bull Winter Edition Pistachio & Berries launches in the UK on 28 September 2026, in full-sugar and sugar-free versions. It will be available in 250ml (£1.80 RRP), 355ml (£2.20 RRP) and 473ml (£2.75 RRP) cans, with 4 x 250ml multipacks priced at £5.75 RRP.
Richard attended the Red Bull Winter Edition tasting event as a guest of Red Bull. This article reflects his experience and has not been written as medical or nutritional advice.
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Richard Branson is a fitness and wellbeing enthusiast with a passion for HYROX, cycling, and technology. He shares insights at the intersection of performance, wellbeing, and innovation.
