Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
This energizing combination of sweet chocolate and south amercian mate is sure to stimulate your senses.
Taster’s Review:
Did someone say chocolate?
As I’ve mentioned more than once before, I am a chocoholic (and I’m not ashamed to admit it). I love chocolate, and my belief is that more chocolate = better. This belief translates into my passion for teas as well, and when it comes to chocolate flavored teas/tisanes, the more chocolate flavor, the better.
The combination of Yerba Maté and chocolate is a brilliant one, because the two seem to go together so naturally. The earthy tones of the Yerba Maté enhance the flavor of the chocolate. However, my belief about more chocolate = better applies here, and this would be better with more chocolate flavor.
That’s not to say that this isn’t chocolate-y, because it is. It is a rich, sweet, dark chocolate flavor and it is absolutely delicious. That being said, this chocoholic can’t help but want more of a really good thing!
This cup is smooth and sweet. There is a vegetative quality to the Yerba Maté that adds an interesting dimension of flavor. I also agree with my SororiTea Sister, TeaEqualsBliss, about this tisane: I can taste a nutty/woody quality that is very rooibos-like. But I don’t find this off-putting at all, in fact, I’m enjoying that nutty characteristic and how well it goes with the chocolate tones.
Overall, a very rich and satisfying cup. A great wake-me-up tisane, since Yerba Maté is a bit more caffeinated than most other teas/tisanes. Something so delicious – it’s a bit like having dessert for breakfast! Yummy!
Yerba Maté from Teapigs
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Teapigs
Product Description:
We’re not going to lie to you – no one it seems is indifferent to this tea. You’ll either love it or hate it. Yerba Mate (pronounced yerba mah-tey) is native to South America, where it is drunk as a natural stimulant to increase focus and alertness while helping with detoxing and weight loss. And it does all this, allegedly, without any side effects. So one for our celebrity customers then. (We’re also working on a Mate Vanilla, so that mate haters can get the health benefits without enduring the taste.)
Taster’s Review:
I don’t know that I necessarily love Yerba Maté, but I certainly don’t hate it. I enjoy a cup of Maté every once in a while. I don’t know if that makes me indifferent, or something else?
Anyway, I am enjoying this Maté quite a bit. It has a pleasant, rustic taste to it. While it does possess the earthy, vegetative taste that I typically get from Yerba Maté, I am not finding this particular Maté to be overwhelmingly earthy or vegetative. It is a robust cup, but it doesn’t have any bitter taste to it (the key is to pull the kettle just before it reaches a full boil, use “almost boiling” water rather than boiling).
Another thing that I really like about Maté is that it is an amazing stimulant. It is more stimulating than most teas, but it doesn’t affect me with the ill side effects that I get from coffee. I get the alertness I would normally get from a cup of coffee, but without the nervous jitters or the sick feeling afterward. In a sense, it is the best of both worlds in one teacup!
Caramel Cream from Fusion Tea Room
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Fusion Tea Room
Product Description:
Caramel Cream Mate takes the bold rich flavor of the roasted mate and the full bodied nutty rooibos and pairs them with real decadent caramel bits. Marigold flowers are added to help bring out the smokey tones of the rooibos and caramels. Adding a splash of cream and sugar creates the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
Taster’s Review:
I don’t drink coffee. I can’t. Well, I guess I can, but, if I do, I won’t be feeling very well in a couple of hours. But that doesn’t stop me from wishing I could indulge every time I pass a coffee shop and see their enticing advertisements for their latest latte creation, especially if that latte is a caramel latte. In fact, there have been several times when I’ve been thisclose to actually breaking down and ordering one because my sweet tooth was craving that yummy caramel and roasted coffee combination. Well, I think I may have finally found the perfect alternative!
The first time I tried this blend, I was a bit unsure about it. It has a very strong chicory presence – which when added conservatively can give a very pleasing depth to the cup. Chicory is often used as a coffee substitute for those who need to reduce their caffeine intake, because it has a flavor that is very similar to coffee. Paired with the Yerba Maté, it creates a very robust flavor. (Note: Yerba Maté does contain caffeine, so this not a blend I would suggest to someone who is trying to reduce their caffeine)
The chicory lends a deep roasted flavor to the cup. There is a hint of smoke to it too. The Yerba Maté is earthy, roasted and just slightly vegetative. The rooibos is nutty and a little woody. Together, these three components create a base that is a strong roasted flavor that is quite similar to a stout coffee. In fact, this is much more like coffee to me than a tea (or tisane). The caramel is a burnt sugar caramel taste, and this is really highlighted by the deep roasted and smoky notes of the base blend.
I recommend drinking this blend with sugar and milk (or cream). It’s not often that I strongly recommend additions, but, this time, is an exception. This blend has a very strong flavor, and it can be a little harsh. However, the addition of milk really smooths out the harsher tones of this blend and makes it not only palatable – but downright delicious. It becomes a great alternative to a caramel coffee latte for those of us who can’t drink coffee!
Mango Mate from Fusion Tea Room
Tea Type: Yerba Mate
Where To Buy: Fusion Tea Room
Product Description:
Ingredients: Green Matè, sunflowers and flavor
Tasters Review:
This is a mighty fine flavored Yerba Mate! To date – I think – Fusion Tea Room has the BEST Flavored Mate’s I have tried! This one certainly followed suite!
I LOVE mango and this was lovely!
BUT…it’s not over-the-top flavored…just the right amount of flavor there! Regardless it’s very enjoyable! Mango Fans UNITE!
Pistachio Lime Maté from Fusion Tea Room
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Fusion Tea Room
Product Description:
Ingredients: Green yerba mate, organic green rooibos, organic rooibos, pistachios, coconut chips, lime leaves, lime zest, almonds, lime pieces, lime juice, natural flavor.
Read More about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
As I write this review, it is spring. And even though it is spring, it is chilly and raining. Yesterday, it was sunny and warm. Just a few days ago, it was hailing. Just another week here in the Pacific Northwest where, when it comes to the weather, you must learn to expect the unexpected.
You’re probably wondering why I’m telling you this. Well, because this tisane is a bit like springtime in a teacup. So, even though it is not very spring-like outside, I am enjoying spring inside with this tea.
The combination of Green Yerba Maté and green and red rooibos creates a very smooth base for the flavors of pistachio, lime, coconut and almond to develop. The base is mild but with a refreshing, lively taste, complimenting the juicy taste of lime and sweetness of the nuts and coconut.
The lime offers a pleasant tartness, and yet the sweetness from the other ingredients ensure that the tartness never becomes too overwhelming. I like how the lime lingers in the aftertaste. It’s a crisp, zesty kind of taste.
This is a really lovely fusion of flavors. I like that I can taste notes from each ingredient. While the lime is the strongest note, no one ingredient becomes too aggressive to overthrow the balance of tastes. It has a delicious tropical flair to it that is perfect on days like this – when you want springtime but the weather is not complying with that desire.