The first time I tried Amanda Tradicional was almost 4 years ago. The last time I had it was about 2 years ago. And on both occasions, I was never too impressed.

It’s a solid mate – one you can easily drink every day with no problems – but wasn’t anything to rave about.

Now today, I have Amanda Premium.

Similar to how companies produce their seleccion especial yerba, but one extra step above, Amanda Premium uses only the best leaves they can harvest and is aged for a full 3 years, compared to the usual 1 to 2 years.

With that said, we can reason that Amanda Premium is probably better than Amanda Tradicional.

But we’ll find out for sure in today’s review…

Nose

After opening the box of Amanda Premium, you’ll find the yerba stored within an aluminum packaging bag. Once carefully peeled open, I get blasted with one of the best scents I’ve ever smelled. An indulgent dessert of jelly-filled donuts, churros, and funnel cake lure my nose in closer. Wow. Absolute stellar aroma.

Taste

Amanda Premium is highly dynamic. Drinking a gourd at one temperature will taste very different than another temperature. This has a lot of flavor going on and is constantly evolving which I like because it keeps things interesting, but don’t like since there’s a chance I won’t enjoy it as much.

However, when brewed at the right temp consistently, it’s pretty good. This mate has a moderate strength while being exceptionally smooth and gentle on the palate. Hints of fresh bread and flour hit the palate first. Then notes of damp soil and a nice floral sweetness act as support. Throughout the mate, hints of dried fruit, tobacco, and white pepper also pop up here and there. If I had to think of a mate this reminds me of, it sits somewhere between Rosamonte and Nobleza Gaucha. Surprisingly, it’s almost nothing like the original Amanda. Premium is it’s own mate. Nothing smoky or harsh here.

I find Amanda Premium to taste best in lower temps of around 140ºF (60ºC). Hotter temps don’t complement the mate’s softness, and instead, bring out more of its astringency.

Finish

Amanda Premium has a short finish with not much to play with. A gentle bitterness sits on the back of the tongue while a light earthy and nutty flavor bounces around, all before disappearing in a matter of seconds.

Body/Texture

When it comes to strength, Amanda Premium might be lacking. But it makes up for it in body. This is a medium-bodied mate with a gentle taste. Each sip has a decadent, rich creamy and velvety texture that just can’t be ignored. Think milk or heavy cream. This mate takes over your palate. As far as astringency, Amanda is here to play. From the first sip, your mouth instantly starts feeling tight and constricted with a strong dry-mouth sensation that forces you to rinse it out with water. Personally, a little too strong for my liking.

Cut

Amanda Premium features an Argentine cut. Leaves are mostly a small and medium size with nice shades of green, brown, and yellow. Large white palos are unusually low for an Argentine brand which may explain its strong, long-lasting flavor. However, there are plenty of thin green/brown stems mixed in throughout the cut. Dust, on the other hand, is abundant. Preparing the mate marks a heavy imprint on your palm and creates a solid mountain of yerba. No issues with filtration on this one. Use any one of your favorite bombillas.

Cycle

Amanda Premium, fortunately, offers a medium-to-long cycle. This mate can go on for at least 3/4 to a full liter without budging on strength. The mate’s flavor and taste hold up for most of its lifespan. Only after about 6-8 refills do you start to noticeably feel it weaken. Impressive.

Effect

Effects are almost instant with Amanda Premium. The first sip can have your body coursing with energy and your mind’s gears grinding.

As always, my focus, concentration, and creativity are enhanced. And compared to some other brands, this one has a much stronger floaty-head sensation. Which to me is a tell-tale sign of a mate working. Amanda Premium is definitely an upper instead of a downer. Drinking this will have you wanting to move or do something productive. This isn’t to say you’ll feel restless, but you definitely won’t want to just kick back and take it easy. Take advantage by drinking some as a preworkout or as a study partner.

With a strong effect, I’d recommend this mate only during the morning. Any later and you’ll likely run into sleeping problems.

Amanda Premium Yerba Mate Review

After finishing my bag of Amanda Premium, I sadly have to say that it didn’t impress me.

It’s not bad (maybe except the astringency), but there’s nothing here to really write off about.

The only thing that stands out is its smoothness. However, it’s quickly counteracted with the build up of astringency at some point. The inconsistent flavor profile also doesn’t help make this mate something I want to drink every day.

Would I buy it again? Probably not.

In fact, I prefer the traditional Amanda over this one.

But if you enjoy something with a strong astringency, this might be for you. Grab a bag today by clicking the link below!

PampaDirect (Worldwide)
Click Here To Get A 500g / 1lb Bag

P.S. If you enjoyed this review, you might also want to check out our shop for amazing gourds and bombillas you’ve never seen before.