A THC drink that thinks its a wine? Check. A sparkling water that thinks its liquid hot sauce? That, too. Both are accounted for in this week’s review roundup, featuring a look-in at innovative releases from Liquid Death and Mariona. To submit your beverage product to BevNET for review, click here. And to browse past reviews, check the archive here.
Mariona is a unique entry in the Delta 9 THC beverage category, aiming to elevate the consumer experience with a wine-inspired format. Offered in elegant 750ml glass bottles, each SKU – Vivid, Sunny, and Plush – delivers a total of 10mg THC per bottle that’s intended to be consumed in four servings (2.5mg THC, 45 calories, and 7g of sugar per serving). The beverages are crafted with nuanced fruit-forward profiles and are clearly intended for sipping and savoring.
Things that stand out:
- Three very unique and enjoyable flavor profiles that are comparable in character to lighter bodied natural wines. Each of the flavors has unique fruit flavors and could easily be poured into a wine glass for a true wine-like experience.
- Elegant glass packaging conveys a high-end, artisanal vibe that aligns with the brand’s wine-inspired concept. That could give the brand the ability to play in certain retail channels where single serve RTDs might not.
- Visually and conceptually differentiated from the bulk of the THC beverage market. This feels like one of the most unique, innovative, and well-rounded THC beverages that we’ve sampled in a while.
Things to consider:
- At four servings per bottle, consumer education around portion control will be key to a consistent experience. Consumers probably don’t worry about precisely measuring their wine pours and we’re guessing that won’t be much different here.
- The premium positioning and glass format, while striking, may limit the use occasion for Mariona. It will certainly put it at a higher price point than other products in the category.
Rating: 
Liquid Death Deathberry Inferno
Liquid Death’s latest limited-edition release– Deathberry Inferno, a Walmart exclusive –brings fiery ghost pepper heat but with a surprisingly mellow execution. At 10 calories and 2 grams of sugar, it aims to offer a spicy flavor experience; it even carries a “Parental Warning: Extremely Spicy” label that adds to its shock-value appeal.
Things that stand out:
- The use of ghost pepper provides intrigue but somehow manages to not be overwhelming. Plus, this spicy flavor profile could serve as a strong foundation for a spicier product line extension. The berry flavor and touch of sweetness help cut it, but only slightly.
- Conceptually unique, especially among flavored sparkling beverages, and consistent with Liquid Death’s irreverent branding. From our perspective, this feels more on brand than some of Liquid Death’s other line extensions which often have outlandish names but pretty pedestrian flavor.
Things to consider:
- How much spice is too much spice? It’s subjective, but in our opinion this might be a bit too spicy for most consumers. We could see this being a one-time novelty purchase in many cases.
- At least in the samples we received, the Liquid Death logo appears to have been misprinted in a dark shade, making it difficult to read—especially problematic for shelf presence and brand recognition.
Rating: 