Taragui Yerba Mate + Bombilla + Glass & Leather Gourd

I ran over my previous kit with my truck at the beginning of my six weeks trip, panicked and got this one as an emergency replacement until I could get a nice one. Some people don't like glass (I do, easy to clean) I am surprised with this kit, the gore has a nice feel with the leather finish, I don't know what the bombilla is made off(it will be nice to know) but it looks well built and does a good job, I love the spoon shape that allows for cleaning the spent yerba, the bombilla is sturdy and well made. Unless you are in South America with options to bargain and choose from, I think this is a good kit with the right price.

This is good mate, I like it, but the accessories don't seem to me to be worth the price. The gourd is made of glass, with a red leather wrapped around the outside and what seems to be a piece of aluminum clamped around the rim to finish it. It has a nice shape and size, and is easy to clean. The leather off-gases something awful the first couple times it gets hot. The gourd is nothing special, but it's functional and practical. The bombilla (the straw) is a spoon type but very cheap, not nice. It is clamped/soldered together as one single piece and cannot be taken apart to clean. I don't know what your threshold is for wet, molding organic material stuck the bottom of a drinking implement, but eventually you'll just have to throw this thing away. It also imbues a metallic flavor which is not all that pleasant. The mate is great. I'd highly recommend just buying the Taragui mate on its own, which is also available here, and getting a decent bombilla that can be disassembled and cleaned.

I did own this cup until I accidentally cracked it... Agh! I usually don't review things but this is one yerba mate cup that I liked more than any others. I miss it so much. None are in stock though. I put it with some yerba into my fridge to save for later cause I only had one pour and didn't want to waste any. I took it out and basically immediately poured hot water into it. Stupid me. I know thats bad to do especially with glass. It cracked and started slowly leaking into the leather. I got a ceramic gourd but its not the same. The leather is super nice with a perfectly placed logo on the side. It fits perfectly into my palm and does well carrying it around. It fits nicely into my cars cup holder too. I signed up to be notified so I can get another. If the seller reads this.. I really need another. My yerba experience is not the same. I'm using a french press and pouring yerba into a coffee cup. Such a travesty. Also I'm pretty much converted to taragui over anything else. Please restock soon.

The first thing I noticed when I received this product was that the guampa was not bound with red leather, but rather with an American football-esque shade of brown leather. This was a bit disappointing as I was hoping for the red leather, but that being said, it is still a good product. If you're looking for a sturdy gourd that won't break easily, this is the one for you. Although it doesn't hold the flavor like a normal guampa will, the leather padding and thick glass keep the risk of it breaking to a minimum. Besides, for a sturdy guampa, a bombilla, and a big bag of mate for this price, you really can't go wrong.The misleading appearance is the only reason I am giving this four stars. It is definitely worth the price for a first-time mate drinker.

I'm giving this 5 stars for the value and for the actual gourd & bombilla.The leather-wrapped glass gourd is a little smaller than your average mate gourd, but there is no issue there. It's higher quality and very sturdy. The bombilla is the spoon style, which is the type I actually prefer. Once again, very good quality. Just on those two pieces alone I would recommend this set to anyone.(I use a traditional mate gourd and purchased this set for my wife. I was skeptical about the glass gourd at first, but it really is a very nice piece.)Now for the yerba. I'd heard very good things about Taragui. Their claim is that it's the "biggest & best brand" in Argentina. So I figured I would give it a shot. If I had to rate it by itself, I would probably give it 4 or 4 1/2 stars. It's good, but has a muted flavor. My personal favorite is Amanda, which has a more robust flavor to it. Regardless, the Taragui traditional is good yerba.

I first had mate in South America years ago. Liked it. Found the Guayaki Mate Chocolate tea bags in the states, loved those, graduated to loose leaf mate in a teaball, and finally decided to get a bombilla (straw). I saw this set and decided to go for it. I didn't want to get a traditional gourd because I was afraid of breakage, leakage, or ruining it during the curing process. This holds like a traditional gourd, but is leather wrapped glass with a metal lip. As some have mentioned, the leather "off gases". That is to say it smells like leather, which I like. But after several uses it starts to fade. Easy to clean, easy to use. Haven't tried the mate it came with yet, because I had some on hand, but I've been using daily for a couple of weeks. and I'm pretty happy.

I like the mate itself just fine. I do not like the "gourd". I like that it is glass and leather, the problem lies in the narrow base of the design. A natural gourd has a wide base and does not get tipped over easily as this gourd does. I also dislike having the Taragui name imprinted on it.

The glass gourd is easy to clean and convenient, Taragui is a nice commercial mate to try, but you should pass and just try a single pack given the fact that the bombilla rusts (different from the one on the picture, by the way), this is not worth the money.