I have tried some protein beverages and they are usually chalky and hard to get down. This was not any of those things. When you first smell the bottle, it smells a bit like formula. But when you shake it up good, you can't taste any formula taste. The bottle is better than the cartons they usually come in. I went and bought 5 cases after trying this because it seems to be an easy way to get a good amount of protein in that tastes good, too