LA OBEREÑA Organic Yerba Mate Tea, Loose Leaf, Traditional South American, Hot or Cold Drink, Unsmoked, Gluten Free, Vegan, Traditional Cut, Pack of 1-35.27 Oz - 2.2. lb.

La Oberana is a high-quality and unique Argentinian yerba mate that defies easy description. And, of importance to me, it is unsmoked, which I greatly prefer, because it has little or no PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), which despite what some mate vendors and consumers would have you believe, are not healthy to consume.Here's where it gets interesting, because most unsmoked yerbas tend to have a mild, grassy flavor, but this does not. La Oberana has a bolder, nuttier, malt and tobacco-like flavor that approaches the taste of Paraguayan yerba, and also that of Argentinian gaucho varieties, which are bold and strong. But even this does not quite describe this yerba, because it seems to be much more variable in taste depending upon temperature and brewing time than most yerbas.Yerbamate, in general, is more affected by temperature and steeping than either tea or coffee, because many of its constituents, including flavor compounds, are readily soluble in water even at low temperature. (Other phytochemicals in mate require higher temperature to dissolve.) This is why some yerbas drinkers prepare their brew even in cold water.One interesting study measured the highest antioxidant activity of yerbamaté at 158°F, with higher caffeine content above that temperature. So ultimately, you have a broad range of choices when it comes to flavor and effect with mate, and La Oberana is even more complex in terms of the variety of flavors that you can get from it. After some experimentation I found 165°F, and short steeping times from 20 to 35 seconds, to give the best flavor for my palate. At this temperature you get a pleasant balance between a rounded, sweet maltiness, with a touch of tobacco that is pleasing to veteran yerba drinkers. And La Oberana has real strength and staying power through its multiple infusions, or cycles. In the second infusion I could taste chocolate and coffee, with little or no tobacco. This is a different experience for me than with Anna Park, where I strongly prefer the first infusion. With La Oberana the second and third infusions are really good.One other thing about La Oberana is that it has a very balanced stimulating and tonic effect. Some yerbas are very high in caffeine, as stimulating as espresso, whereas other yerbas seem to produce no stimulation at all. This yerba, however, gives you a whole body boost that is not at all jittery or overwhelming, and that feels tonic and nourishing. After all, people drink caffeinated drinks for energy, but yerbamate is fairly unique in that it combines its caffeine with a considerable mineral, vitamin and amino acid content that is genuinely health giving. In this regard, La Oberana feels more like a whole body tonic than most other yerbas I’ve consumed.La Oberan reminds me a little of another Argentinian unsmoked brand, Jesper, for those who have tasted it. The difference is that Jesper has a bit more clarity and astringency in its first steeping, but seems to have less complexity and strength in its later infusions. La Oberana, in contrast, is rounder, with a thicker mouth feel in its first infusion, and then surprises the drinker with new, and unexpected flavors with each succeeding infusion. So as I said at the beginning of this review, La Oberana is an excellent and unique yerba that defies easy description, and that provides not only a range of flavors, but a pronounced tonic effect as well.Lastly, the vendor is extremely responsive, which is a very good sign for a new mate vendor on Amazon…one who is offering a yerba that is not common in the marketplace.

My friends love it, they are from Argentina and know Mate. I tried and it’s great

Update: the smoky flavor is very potent and in your face when you first start to drink it. After around 4 rounds of water the smokiness died down and became more enjoyable. If you’ve ever had gunpowder green tea this would be similar.I gave it 4 stars only because the smokey flavor didn’t taste like a natural smokey flavor. It tasted as if they added a cheap liquid smoke to the leaves.Once you get past the heavy smoke flavor the Yerba mate is very nice. It’s very earthy with notes of dried hay. If it didn’t have the smoke I’d say this would be a perfect daily mate!

Disregard the long review from 2019 stating that this is yerba is unsmoked. The batch I got May 2023 is 100% definitely smoked. "Secado natural a leña" is stated on the ad for this same burlap-sack mate on Mercado Libre. I speculate older batches may have been unsmoked due to the other reviews and descriptions I've come across from several years ago specifically saying so. The company does sell this product in Argentina (at least through Mercado Libre and Andalhue) but don't actually seem to stock brick and mortar stores. Not much info on La Obereña but one site claims the company is family-owned and has been around since 1996. Their official site doesn't reveal much either. Upon opening the burlap, I did notice the plastic bag the mate's enclosed in is very thin. I only saw one noticeable hole that allowed a few flakes to come out but I can see how the thin bag could easily rupture and spill the stuff everywhere. A couple of reviews on Mercado Libre do echo the ones on Amazon regarding the dustier/powdery grind. My bag did have some noticeable fine powder but not an exaggerated amount like I got ripped off or anything...I don't drink through a straw so that's not too big of a deal for me. The last 10 or so pounds I've purchased have been the Eco Tea brand which I recommend. Compared to it, La Obereña does smell less green/grassy and more hay-ey/woody which I suspect is due to the fact that Eco Teas is air dried and this isn't. After infusing with non-boiling hot water--not sure the exact temp but possibly running a bit on the hotter side--for no more than 6-10 mins and straining, I can tell you the smokiness hit me like !!!! lol All in all I wasn't expecting such a strong smoky taste but for $10/lb and it being supposedly organic its whatever. The stimulating effects are there but I'll report back more. Also noteworthy is that shipping was free and handled via FedEx. Six days from Argentina to the East Coast is great but it leaves me wondering if the product we're getting is in fact quality with the price being so cheap compared to competitors'.UPDATE:I am content with the mate. Method used involves steeping 10-15 grams for ~6 mins with water around 170-180 °F. Some intermittent stirring will ensure the leaves that rise to the top will enventually sink as they steep. The mixture is then strained completely onto a clean container and left to rest for a couple of minutes or more. Resting the tea allows the remaining dust particles to settle. Without agitating the mixture, you can drink like 97% of the mixture without the unpleasant fine particles. I find the resulting beverage to be more balanced (to my taste of course). The dust particles are what carrry over that unpleasant smoky/bitter/astringency taste that remains in your taste buds after drinking. Water helps wash that away some.

Perfect balance in leaves stems & dust for STRONG effect.

Update....seller does not respond. Requested a refund from Amazon several time telling me I needed to contact the seller. No response.....total bs. So now I'm out the tea, my money and the shipment took many weeks to arrive. I eneded up buying a different brand and it arrived before this one. Not worth the bag it arrived in.I was introduced to yerbmate 25 years ago.Love it even though it has a rather earthy Tone to it. I've had several different brands.This was not good. Packaging was really neat. It looked amazing. Tastes like sucking on a old dirty burlap sack. I can even drink it. Lastly the seller has not returned my requests for a refund and amzon hasn't helped either. Just literal garbage. I'm literally throwing it in the garbage And it took several weeks to get here. I waited for this? Utter bs