There's an element of brand in there, for sure. But.. I'm a bit of an energy drink junkie and I've tried almost all of them over the years.

Red Bull is a bit like the Coca Cola of energy drinks to me. It might not be the absolute best tasting one but it's the best to fit almost any situation. That is, a specialty cola can taste better than Coca Cola for a once-off, but you'd find it too sickly on a long-term basis. That's where I stand with Red Bull. It's not the best but it's the most consistent and most palatable I've found.

I can't put my finger as to how much the brand plays into that but acknowledge I'm as human as anyone else and that it undoubtedly reinforces my preference.