Mighty Leaf Rainforest Mate

In terms of blending, yerba mate is a tricky flavor to deal with. Poor quality mate is quite bitter and roasted mates tend to be blended with warming spices (like cinnamon and cardamom), chocolate, vanilla and/or mint. Mate in bags tends to be overly flavored to cover the bitterness of lesser leaves. This yerba mate has an unusual flavor profile for mate in general and lacks the bitterness that ruins so many bagged mates.

This mate tea pouch brews into an attractive flaxen color. However, its aroma is overpoweringly fruity and cinnamon-y to the point of reminding one of an air freshener. The scent of licorice (a primary ingredient) is apparent -- a bonus for licorice lovers and deterrent for others (such as myself).

Rainforest Mate has a mellow taste that (thankfully) lacks the bitter/astringent notes some mates carry. It's sweet (due mostly pineapple and apple), tart (thanks to the rosehips) and spicy, with less overpowering notes than the aroma. Licorice lovers/haters, look out -- there is a moderate licorice flavor.

This mate has a flavor profile that is good hot in cold weather or lightly sweetened and iced in hot weather.

This infusion has an almost syrupy mouthfeel, perhaps due to the cinnamon and licorice.

The aftertaste is long-lasting, but hollow.

For a bagged yerba mate, this blend is both unique and better than much of the competition. However, there are many better loose-leaf yerba mates on the market. I've heard that Mighty Leaf's loose-leaf Rainforest Mate is better than the tea pouch I tasted for this review, but not having tasted it myself, I can't verify that. If you're looking for a different approach to flavored/blended yerba mate or you require the convenience of a teabag (or, in this case, tea pouch) for your mate, Rainforest Mate is a good choice.

For the record, I don't like licorice. As much as I try not to let that color my reviews, there's always a chance it will anyway. On Mighty Leaf's site, this blend gets a higher rating. You may also want to read their user reviews of Rainforest Mate for more information.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.