Cruz de Malta — 3.45 of 5 palos — reviewed 2/17/2012
Type: Traditional
Region: Misiones, Argentina. Empresa Mate Larangeira Mendez
Description
When I think “Cruz de Malta” I’m always reminded of a fresh summer breeze. This traditional, 100% naturally processed mate, free of chemicals and additives, is a staple yerba in Argentina. The bright flavors and smoothness of this mate account for its wide-ranging popularity. It’s simple and tasty.
Cut 4.25 palos
Excellent cut. Bright, clean, well-shaped leaves. Superb PPL-R with nicely sized palos, good polvo content, and a pleasing display of brown, lime green, light green, and tan leaves. A very rustic and weathered looking cut.
Body/Texture 3.50 palos
Mild body. Cruz is a very sneaky mate: it opens up very quietly like a green tea, then unfolds into a true display of boldness and body, while still remaining very light and fluffy on the palate. Oaky notes.
Nose 3.25 palos
Refreshing, bright notes. Clay. Dirt. Earthy. Mild rubber.
Finish 3.50 palos
Simple, elegant finish. You’re almost hoping for more of a kick, but never really get it. Very light and watery finish. This is the weak point of this yerba. Buttery and nutty.
Cycle 2.75 palos
Short cycle. Turns into a green tea like infusion very quickly.
Overall: 3.45 palos
Recommendation
Excellent mate with character. Can’t really go wrong with this yerba and it meets all the requirements of a good mate: fine cut, smooth taste, energizing, and smells good. Though it has a short cycle, you can continue to enjoy the vibrant taste of this mate with more new rounds of yerba: more work, but worth it. I highly recommend all mate drinkers to try “Cruz.”
[...] mate with strong backbone. Has the boldness of Rosamonte, Taragüí, and Cruz, but minus the harshness and punch in the face backlash. Very strong, but smooth finish for those [...]
[...] also in a class of its own. If you have MF, Kraus Orgánica, Kraus Gaucho, and, let’s thrown in Cruz de Malta and Rosamonte, then your mate library is quite complete, spanning the subtle taste profiles across [...]
[...] yerba. Fans of Nobleza Gaucha, Guayakí Traditional, and Cruz will appreciate this wonderfully smooth, yet bold yerba. This yerba really has legs! The stability [...]