The Maté Factor – 3.9 of 5
Type: Fresh Green Herb Blend
Region: Campo Largo, Brazil
Description:
This is an amazing Mate for those who are just becoming acquainted with the drink, or prefer gentle grassy tones of sweet and slightly sour. It’s most definitely not for those who prefer their Mate to be extremely
amargo, but it works great for circles that contain a majority of people who are losing their mateginity. Despite the Mate being from Campo Largo, Brazil, the cut/ processing also results in there being no
polvo, which is good for me.
Cut 4.00 gourds
This Mate has an extremely interesting cut. Instead of large, irregularly shaped pulverized leaves, The Maté Factor cuts their Mate into extremely thin, and semi-long, pieces. This goes the same for their palos, which causes the Mate to resemble green and splintery shredded wheat.
Robustness 3.00 gourds
One thing that sets this Mate apart from the rest is its packaging process. Upon harvesting, The Maté Factor immediately packages their Mate, which causes their Mate to be both extremely green and fresh. One bad thing about this is that it causes their Mate to lack robustness (low cycle rate). This results in the Mate becoming
lavado much quicker than other Mates, which isn’t cost-effective in the least bit.
Harshness (Ashtray Factor) 5.00 gourds
Due to its packaging, harvesting, and drying process, this Mate has no tones of what many people would describe as cigarette ash, or smoke. This results in a trade-off, between robustness and freshness. Because of its lack of harshness, this Mate is extremely good for beginners.
Taste: 3.50 gourds
Upon drinking this Mate, one can sense earthy tones that remind me of the skin of a Macintosh apple and mulberries. Slightly tangy, but it doesn’t beat you over the head with extremely sour tones. It’s not
amargo in the least bit, and as I previously stated, it is as far from being smoky as physically possible.
Finish: 4.00 gourds
Smooth finish, which maintains its earthy and grass tones until the end. No surprising harshness, or crazy kick of bitterness. Great till the end.
Overall: 3.90 palos
Recommendation
A great beginner's Mate, or something gentler for those who appreciate soft tones of sweetness accompanied by a smooth finish. This Mate will definitely not leave you traumatized, and you may even want to try something stronger that has the ability to "Punch you in the face" with its taste. I highly recommend it for those who have tried Mate in the past and disliked it.
