Canarias — 3.95 of 5 palos — reviewed 3/12/2012
Type: Traditional.
Aged 4-6 months. 100% Natural, no chemicals.
Region: Santa Catarina, Paraná and Rio Grande, Southern Brazil. Grown by Canarias S.A.
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Description:
Canarias yerba mate is a solid brand. Excellent character and strength. This is a bold yerba that has not only the signature Brazilian yerba zest, but has unique, cake and toast taste profiles. Uruguayans swear by this yerba, and I can see why. Canarias just works. It’s simple, yet rich and profound with good depth. It’s an elegant yerba, with charisma and charm.
Cut 3.75 palos
Typical fine grain Brazilian cut. Expectedly, this yerba has a lot of polvo, as yerba from Brazil usually does. This abundance of polvo doesn’t seem to hurt, but help this yerba. The fresh, vibrant color of the cut is very pleasant. The abundance of fine polvo increases the viscosity of the drink, and sometimes, unfavorably, permits dust through the bombilla. This mate may be best drunk with a special bombilla containing a fine grain filter.
Body/Texture 4.25 palos
Full body with rich, dark chocolate overtones. Very harmonious and stable taste. Smooth. Roasted nuts. Toasted bread. There’s a sweetness to this mate that allows it to stand apart from the rest.
Nose 3.75 palos
Clean and refreshing. Similar to Guayaki’s Traditional yerba. Bready.
Finish 4.25 palos
Very stable and consistent finish. Strong character. Pleasantly bitter.
Cycle 3.75 palos
Good, stable, consistent long cycle.
Overall: 3.95 palos
Recommendation
Touted as the best mate in Uruguay, even the casual mate drinker needs to try this yerba. Its unique taste is something to be appreciated, especially if you’ve been hooked to your typical Argentinian mates for some time now. There’s nothing like Brazilian yerba, with its high polvo content and fine grain cut that never ceases to surprise my taste buds, each and every sip.
