All Natural Berry Flavour Relaxation Drink

355 ml, $1.99

available at fine food and specialty stores.

for more information visit marleybeverages.com

When Shelf Life encountered this drink we experienced music lovers’ angst: would Bob approve? What if Marley’s Mellow Mood tastes terrible? If Shelf Life could magically go back in time – to, say, Harry J’s Kingston studio and the making of 1973’s Catch A Fire – if we showed up holding a can of this stuff, would the band laugh or cry? Still, this is an official Marley-estate approved product, so we went for it. Lightly carbonated, it’s a forest-fruity soother with a vivid red tint and a bright sweet taste. There are two kinds of ingredients, medicinal and non-medicinal. The former includes herbal relaxants as valerian and passionflower; the latter features vegetable juice and cane sugar. MMM claims that it may help to ‘promote relaxation and reduce anxiety’. Shelf Life didn’t feel a significant smoothing of our inner riddims, but we enjoyed the drink. So is it a case of get up, stand up, drink up? Put it this way: Jamaica’s fiftieth birthday celebrations begin this summer; unfortunately Shelf Life will be unable to attend. However, sentimental consumers that we are, we’re happy to wear a T-shirt and drink the pop.

THREE AND A HALF STARS ***1/2