Herbal Tea

Tea of the Week – Mocha Nut Mate

Herbal Tea

Name: Mocha Nut  Mate

Type: Herbal

Region: Brazil

Bought At: Adagio.com

Price: $2 for a ten cup sample

First Impressions: Chocolaty, hazelnut aroma

Review:

The last of my mate sampler, mocha nut mate was a pleasant surprise.  I am not sure why, but I didn’t have very high expectations going into this tea.  I was expecting something earthier, but to my surprise, this was a very sweet and pleasant tea.  The mocha and hazelnut flavoring is quite strong, and I suspect fans of those flavors of coffee would very much enjoy this. I did notice the caffeine was a bit higher than normal, definitely not something to try before you go to bed!

My Rating:

3.5 / 5

Tea of the Week – Citrus Mate

Herbal Tea

Name: Citrus Mate

Type: Herbal

Region: Brazil

Bought At: Adagio.com

Price: $2 for a ten cup sample

First Impressions:Very sweet smelling, a variety of citrus flavors

Review:

My  first flavored “mate” tea, I had high expectations for Citrus Mate as citrus teas have typically been among my favorites(Citron Green).  having said that, I was a little disappointed in citrus mate.  It isn’t bad, but the citrus flavor is much weaker than expected.  The typical dark, earthy tones of mate are a little overpowering.  I guess it has more to do with my expectations, but it still just isn’t as good as I was expecting.  Having complained about that enough, it is a decent tea, especially if you are  a mate fan.  The citrus does take some of the edge off of the mate flavor, just not enough for me!

My Rating:

2.5 / 5

–brent
(Teageek.org Founder)

Tea of the Week – Toasted Mate

Herbal Tea

Name: Toasted Mate

Type: Herbal

Region: Brazil

Bought At: Adagio.com

Price: $2 for a ten cup sample

First Impressions: Heavily processed, almost like coffee grounds

Review:

Another “mate” tea, toasted mate is a darker, stronger cup than yerba mate.  It has a strong, almost pungent smell when brewed, just short of making it unpleasant. I liked it, although it would probably be easier for a coffee drinker to enjoy than a white or green tea lover.  Had a hint of a nutty taste as well, and no bitter aftertaste.

My Rating:

3 / 5

–brent
(Teageek.org Founder)

Tea of the Week – Yerba Mate

Herbal Tea

Name: Yerba Mate

Type: Herbal

Region:

Bought At: Adagio.com

Price: $2 for a ten cup sample

First Impressions: Leaves are more processed/chopped up.  Smells somewhat grassy, but earthy too.

Review:

I bought the Adagio Mate Sampler on a bit of a whim.  I’ve heard the name “yerba mate” tea a lot, but don’t know a lot about it.  It turns out mate is not true ‘tea’ at all, actually a herbal brew that originates from South America.  Having said that, I started with the one I had heard mentioned the most: Yerba Mate.   Once brewed the smell takes on a strong, almost bitter scent.  The flavor is interesting, stronger than most teas, but still pleasant.  It has very earthy flavors, but sets itself apart from black tea in that it finishes with a hint of mild sweetness.  Overall I liked it, and look forward to trying the rest of the mate samples.

My Rating:

3.5 / 5

–brent
(Teageek.org Founder)