La Esquina de Las Flores — 3.30 palos — reviewed 4/27/2012 Type: Traditional, Organic (con palos) Region: Argentina Company: La Esquina de Las Flores Corp. Description: This snappy, fresh, and lively Argentine yerba is quite pleasant. Someone dear to my heart first gave me a bag La Esquina a few months back, and we enjoyed […]
Archive | April, 2012
The Super Rich Canarias, Edición Especial
Canarias — 4 of 5 palos — reviewed 4/19/2012 Type: Especial (Super Extra) Region: Santa Catarina, Paraná and Rio Grande, Southern Brazil. Company: Canarias S.A. Description: This Special Canarias yerba has been selected from the finest mate leaves grown in local mountain forests of Brazil. Just as tasty as the Traditional version, but perhaps a […]
Around the World with La Vuelta
La Vuelta — 3.80 of 5 palos — reviewed 4/16/2012 Type: Traditional (con palo) Region: Obera, Misiones, Argentina. Company: Coca-Cola Description: Beautifully crafted, La Vuelta hit the right chords with this melodious harmony of strength, sweetness, and just enough bitterness to create a well-rounded flavor profile. This is some of Argentine yerba at its best. […]
Amanda Premium Mate
Amanda — 3.20 of 5 palos — reviewed 4/13/2012 Type: Premium (con palo) Region: Misiones, Argentina. Company: La Cachuera S.A. Description: This soft, pasty, and buttery yerba has never been a big winner with me. Its weak character and structure easily allows the astringency to cut through your palate like a razor—fast and sharply, leaving […]
The Canarias Twin: Baldo
Baldo — 3.95 of 5 palos — reviewed 4/11/2012 Type: Traditional. Aged 4-6 months. 100% Natural, no chemicals. Region: Santa Catarina, Paraná and Rio Grande, Southern Brazil. Grown by Canarias S.A. Description: Produced by the same company as Canarias, Canarias S.A., this mate has virtually no distinction than the Traditional Canarias brand. In fact, the […]
Sara, The Cowgirl Mate
Sara — 3.85 of 5 palos — reviewed 4/10/2012 Type: Traditional Region: Brazil. Carrau & CIA Description: “100% Organic” Brazilian grown yerba, similar to nature as DelC (Del Cebador) and Canarias, but is much flatter and smoother than both. Think of Sara as the soda that’s been left open for a few hours, less poppy […]
The Ovaltine of the Mate World: Del Cebador
Del Cebador — 3.90 palos — reviewed 4/7/2012 Type: Traditional “Calidad Superior” (Superior Quality) Region: Grown in Brazil. Uruguayan based company, Molino Puritans. Description Drinking this mate here in Argentina transports brings me home, to New York, as if I were drinking my favorite brand there, Mate Factor (MF). Eerily similar to Mate Factor, both […]
Yerba Mate in NYC with new & old friends
The simplicity of the gourd is overwhelming, yet it continues to attract people far and wide. The herb is heard for miles, and strangers transform into friends with each pull of the bombilla. A bond is formed, and a mutual feeling is established that screams “WE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THIS MOMENT,” causing everything […]
Urushop: How one shop is spreading Mate in the UK [interview]
I was recently given the opportunity to interview Renzo, co-founder of Urushop, via e-mail. Urushop is an amazing yerba mate and mate accessory store, based in the UK. Read on to find out how it all started, who the people behind the shop are, and where they’re going with it! What inspired you to start […]
Bittery Mate, La Tranquera
La Tranquera — 3.45 of 5 palos — reviewed 4/4/2012 Type: Traditional (with Palos) Region: Los Helechos, Obera, Misiones, Argentina. Description This is a pretty strong yerba — very traditional tasting. Doesn’t have the rich robustness of a “Gaucho Mate,” like Kraus (Gaucho) or Canarias (traditional), but more on the astringent and bitter side. I […]
