Origin Yerba Mate Rich Buttery Smooth Loose Leaf Tea 16 oz

This is a WONDERFUL tea. I am a Yerba Mate newbie. I ordered this because I wanted caffeine without feeling jittery. So I ordered this Origin yerba mate, but I was too impatient to wait for it to come in, so I bought some Guayaki Yerba Mate from my local Kroger. I wasn't super impressed with the Guayaki, but it was okay. I thought, "I guess Yerba Mate tea is alright, but not living up to the hype." But THEN this Origin Yerba Mate came in the mail and it was SO MUCH BETTER. Just comparing at the dry teas side by side, you can see that this one has zero stems, while the Guayaki has a lot of stems. This results in the Guayaki having a much more bitter/watered down flavor. This Origin tea was super smooth, buttery flavor, very pleasant. I could drink it all day long. Get this brand. Don't waste money on yerba mate at your local grocery store, unless of course they carry this brand.

I'm a first-time Yerba Mate drinker. I almost chose another brand because I could get 2 lbs for the price of one at the time I ordered it. But when you're experiencing something for the first time, you want to be sure you're trying the best possible option to see if you like it. Well, let me tell you - I love it! I had to give up coffee a few months ago because the acids in it were tearing up my gut.Drinking tea is fine, but it's nothing like drinking coffee. She said she knew several people who had given up coffee in favor of Yerba Mate because the flavor was so good, and the energy it provides is a more calm and long-lasting sort of energy. She was right about that, and I'm glad it's true - but it isn't why I'm wild about this stuff. It's the *flavor* that blows me away.The first pot I made, I looked into that greenish-brownish liquid and thought, "I'm supposed to DRINK this?" But I put a little Stevia in it and took a sip.... and a smile began to spread over my face that never stopped. The flavor is just indescribable. It's just so pleasingly smooth and creamy and - yes, buttery is a good word, though it doesn't actually taste like butter.I am nobody's idea of an expert, for sure - this is the first time I ever purchased or tried the product - but if you're on the fence and unable to decide whether or not to spend the money for a pound of this, I'd sure encourage you to try it. And when you brew that first pot, I'd encourage you not to turn up your nose at it. You'll appreciate it later - after your first cup.

This is a very interesting and enjoyable yerba mate. It is clearly unsmoked, aged at least six months to a year (based on taste), and free of stems. In response to another reviewer's comment that it tastes smoked, that is a characteristic of Paraguayan yerba mate. Even when unsmoked, Paraguayan yerba has a deep, smoky, tobacco-like taste.Because of the size of the leaf, I find that a temperature of around 167 degrees brings out the best flavor, without bringing out any bitterness, that becomes evident at higher temperatures. Yerba mate is incredibly temperature sensitive, and of course the leaves must be moistened with room temperature water before the hot water is poured over it.Regarding packaging, this is not vacuum packed, contained some air, and is sealed by folded paper, crimped and held with fastening ends. I think it would be better (since the vendor is open to input) if the bag was emptied of air as much as possible (even if not vacuum sealed), with some form of more secure sealing. This would keep the yerba moister.Nevertheless, this yerba has a very robust flavor, with a good after taste. I'm enjoying it very much.

This is good mate. Taste is great, better than a lot of the brands on Amazon. I visited Argentina a few years ago and lived with someone from there for years and have tried a lot of different brands. This is one of my favorites.If you're new to mate, try using a reusable kcup and keurig to brew your mate. I don't have a lot of time to sit there and drink it in the traditional manner so this method works better for me.I also use cheese cloth and let it cold brew for 24 hours in a gallon bucket and mix with lemonade for the summer time. Love iced mate lemonade.

This yerba mate was one of my first experiences with this sort of tea, and while my palate may not be refined enough to detect the "buttery" effect other people talk about, I am enjoying this tea. I bought it to substitute my coffee because I am low carbing, and those flavored creamers were killing me. I am able to brew this tea, add a few drops of liquid stevia, and I find I have energy without jitters. There is a definite green taste, but I drink a large cup of this (30 ounces) and I am usually finished by 1030 am. I am still fine tuning the amount to steep, but I would definitely recommend this product.

This mate is wonderful. It DOES have a smokey taste, but that is due to where and how it was grown and is not actually smoked. If you like the smoked flavor but don't want an actual, smoked mate, you have found paradise in a cup (Gourd? Mug?). It is aged, so it doesn't have a fresh, "green" mate flavor like the MetaMate 23 brand (as my primary comparison) does, but more of a tobacco-esque taste.Personally, I am a fan of both flavor styles depending on my mood, so I keep a pound of MetaMate 23 and a pound of Origin open and ready depending on the day. It is not overkill for me to have two pounds of mate at a time because I will eventually go through both.Store this in a dry, opaque container in a dark and coolish cabinet and it'll last for a long time with almost no noticeable change to the flavor. I recommend almost all mate to be brewed at green tea temps (80 c or 170-175 f) for best flavor, this is no exception.