Cruz de Malta Yerba Mate Tea – 500gr (1.1 lbs) Loose Leaf – Traditional Argentine Herbal Tea – Smooth Flavor, Naturally Sourced – USA Specific Packaging – Gluten-Free – Large Leaf Low Dust Yerba Mate

Yerba mate Cruz de Malta is the BEST Yerba mate period! I have been their loyal costumer since 1997, 27 years…yep! It all started when I moved to live here and I learned that they didn’t sell Yerba mate in the Supermarkets! So I wrote an email to Cruz de Malta in Argentina and asked if there was anyway I could order it directly from them or if they could tell me where to buy it near me. A very nice lady answered my email letting me know that I couldn’t buy it anywhere around my area and that sadly they couldn’t directly ship it to me either. I was so sad to hear that because I couldn’t drink coffee and mate was what I drank every morning. Cruz de Malta team understood how homesick I was feeling not being able to find mate anywhere close to where I reside. But showed me they cared and surprised me with a gift of a large box with yerba mate in the mail 🥹 I was beyond excited and literally felt hugged! From that day forward I understood that Cruz de Malta company is more than a business! See, mate is “shared” with friends and strangers but mate is more than a drink! When we share a mate with someone else we are sharing a moment, living an experience, welcoming someone to our homes, we sometimes even share it with a stranger. Making mate is a ritual! Now about today’s experience, Cruz de Malta did it again through Amazon.Now days I can find Yerba mate near me where I reside and I always buy Cruz de Malta brand. Yesterday, I went out of town and forgot to pack my yerba mate tea although I did pack my gourd and bombilla🧉! I thought what now? I need my morning mate or else I can’t function 😅 So I am a loyal Amazon Prime customer and thought I could probably get yerba mate shipped to the hotel I’m staying and get it in a couple of days. Well, I was blown away by Amazon when at checkout I was offered a next day shipping for a couple of dollars more! I couldn’t believe I was going to be able to drink my morning mate the very next day! ( hours from the time I placed my order) so next morning as I was walking to the hotel cafeteria my yerba mate was delivered! I am beyond thankful for a fast delivery and for being able to still find my favorite and the best yerba mate, Cruz de Malta no matter where I go! Thank you Cruz de Malta and Amazon! The Cruz de Malta yerba mate package was very well wrapped in plastic and taped around to better secure it.About Cruz de Malta yerba mate, I read a few reviews that complained about the “ bitterness” and “dust”, it made me smile, because some people just don’t take the time to learn about something but they just complain about it. I will suggest you Google how to make a good mate first.It is very simple to do. And for those who don’t know about yerba mate brands. Cruz de Malta is a top notch brand since 1874.As I couldn’t put it any better as this part of an online article that I read online that says, …”Cruz de Malta is one of the greatest pleasures of Argentines. It is a herb that believes in the authenticity of taste and quality…”Here are a few tips I found online to help out others that would like to make mate: 🧉💕Prepare Yerba Mate with a Gourd and Bombilla1. Fill a yerba mate gourd ⅔ with loose yerba mate.2. Tap the loose yerba mate to one side to create a pit.3. Moisten the pit with cool water.4. Insert a bombilla into the pit.5. Pour small sips of 150°F water into the pit.6. Share and enjoy!To these tips I will add, once you poured the water in the mate gourd/cup don’t let the mate sit there because it’s going to get bitter. Sip it as soon as you pour it! For the first mate, start with a little bit of cold water and then add the hot water but sip it right away and remember the water doesn’t have to boil. The first couple of mates are not the good ones 😅 we called the first mate the fool mate or something like that!Yerba mate is a very healthy choice full of polyphenols, antioxidants, enjoy and explore different variations, drinking it hot ( mate) or drinking it cold ( Terere) adding mint leaves, lemon, orange peels, honey, the sky is the limit! I hope my honest review helps bring some clarity to someone that is looking for a great yerba mate brand to make a good choice.Cruz de Malta is a great, “suave” ( light) mate brand and the good flavor last till the last mate. Give it a try! 🧉💞

This takes a little bit of getting used to but once you do, it tastes great. I am trying to not drink so much coffee, so this is a great alternative. It has all kinds of health benefits, being anti-inflammatory for one. I recommend if you are trying to make some healthy like style changes.

Really excellent. Very satisfied and will order again. Delivery was excellent as was packaging.

Yerba mate, as is true of many other types or infusions and teas that do not come from a tea bag, is an acquired taste. This particular brand is well known and provides a good product--as long as the seller is not selling out of date product. I empathize with anyone who may not like the taste if they have not tried the real thing before; I have discarded teas given to me as a gift and some I bought not because they were "bad" but because they simply did not appeal to my taste.Keep in mind that locals where yerba mate is had in large quantities daily, especially Argentina, but also some nearby neighboring countries, usually take it in a dedicated gourd with a filtering straw. the gourd is about half filled with yerba mate (more or less depending on size--traditional ones will hold about 8 oz of liquid without the yerba mate and are about half filled with with yerba mate then very hot water poured over it from a tea kettle several times before discarding the used and refilling with fresh yerba mate). Sugar is almost always used to taste--about a half to full teaspoon per gourd. It is intended to be sweetened.I like yerba mate by itself and though I own several newer gourds, I usually have it steeped in a stainless steel steeper over a 10-12 uonce mug. Sometimes I will add a packet of artificial sweetner as I'm trying to cut back on my segar intake. (I very seldom add anything to my favorite teas, by ontrast). So if your first taste of Yerba Mate has you saying "Yuch" or scrunging your nose, try adding some honey or sweetner. It does make a difference and Argentines who especially love the stuff usually have it pretty well sweetened too.Bottom line: this was exactly what I expected from a brand I know. There are doubtless better ones out there, but outside of NYC any yerba mate can be hard to find and may be stale if bought in a brick and mortar store (or even online) so check the expiration date as it does make a difference. And don't confuse the sugary, carbonated drinks with the name yerba mate with the real thing. If you try one of those and hate the real thing, here's a news flash: You do not actually like yerba mate and should buy something else.

The flavor is classic, like traditional mate — rich but not bitter. The leaves are large with very little dust. Brews well and lasts a long time.