A couple years back when I first tried Canarias, I never would’ve thought there was a compuesta variety. Then I found Canarias Serena which was great, but Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre (green tea and ginger), I never would’ve imagined.

This is a one-of-a-kind combination in the yerba mate world that just makes perfect sense.

I’ve seen plenty of brands blending green tea into their yerba. And I’ve seen the same with ginger. But this is the first time I’m seeing them together.

Like Canarias Serena, this is another blend that strikes a good balance between the yerba and added ingredients.

Whether familiar or not with Uruguayan yerba or compuesta blends, this is one I don’t think you should pass up.

Here’s why…

Nose

To the nose, Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre has your obvious aroma from the three ingredients. It’s herbal, grassy, woody, and has a spicy ground ginger note. The smell of the green tea and ginger surprisingly overpowers the yerba mate here and is pleasantly fragrant.

Taste

Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre is a standalone yerba that gets straight to the point. There’s not much that goes on in this mate. The taste is consistent throughout but each sip gives off a nice warm and comforting flavor.

Off the bat, this mate has a prominent earthy, grassy, woody note. This is unsurprising when we have both yerba mate and green tea but it’s not obvious which it’s coming from. With green tea, there’s usually a strong herbaceous note but that’s not present here. Again, both added ingredients take a backseat in this blend. When it comes to the ginger, it’s most similar to ground ginger. It’s not fragrant or pungent like fresh ginger, but there’s a delicate hint of spice and sweetness behind each sip that gives the mate a comforting warmth. All of this sits behind your typical Uruguayan doughy, maltiness and creaminess, leading to a rich, flavorful sip. But compared to the traditional Canarias, it lacks the same punch. Nothing about this blend is smokey or harsh either.

I found this mate to do best in hotter temps of around 160º-170ºF (71º-77ºC). Temperature doesn’t affect the flavor profile here as much as it does the strength, so adjust to your preference. Lower temps for milder strength, higher temps for more.

Finish

On the finish, you get a combination of the yerba mate’s and ginger’s astringency at once. It’s not overbearing but it’s enough to dry out your mouth after a couple refills. A lingering spice from the ginger and an herbal taste stay for a while, never leaving your palate feeling refreshed.

Body/Texture

Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre is a medium-bodied mate. I don’t know if the yerba itself was different or if the added green tea and ginger dulled it down, but this seems to be a theme among their compuesta varieties. You still get a rich, creamy texture but it’s nowhere near as rich as Canarias Traditional. Astringency is a lot more prominent here though whereas the original had little to none. I’m sure this is mostly due to the green tea and ginger. A constricting mouthfeel will come and come quickly, but never gets over the top, which I like.

Cut

Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre features your common P.U.1 (Padrón Uruguayo 1) Uruguayan cut. This standard requires no less than 90% leaf and no more than 10% stem. What you find here is a similar cut to most Uruguayan brands you’ll come across. Finely ground leaves make up a majority of the bag while small bits of stem are sprinkled here and there. Dust is abundant as usual and allows you to form a nice mountain of mate. As far as the green tea and ginger, they’re nowhere visible to the eye.

Cycle

Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre has a medium-cycle. Like Canarias Serena, the added herbs and ingredients seemed to cause a drawback in duration. Although this isn’t a problem for me since Uruguayan brands pack a strong punch. It’s also good to know that the strength holds up for a majority of the mate.

Effect

With green tea and yerba mate consumed together, you’d expect an even stronger effect but that wasn’t the case here. Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre features a similar effect to its sibling variations – nothing more, nothing less.

After about the second refill, a slow-growing focus can be immediately felt around the eyes and face. This is usually a good indicator to me that the yerba’s effects are strong. However, this isn’t the type to get you energized physically. Rather, it leans more on the relaxing side of the spectrum. Maybe it’s the taste of ginger that makes you want to bundle up and unwind. Whatever it is, the boosted concentration and calming of the body make this a good mate for light-level activities like reading, writing, or conversating with friends and family.

Although I still stay away from drinking mate before bed, I think this will be a good choice for those who already do. It is one of the most soothing Uruguayan yerbas I’ve tried so far.

Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre Review

Canarias never ceases to amaze me.

I’ve tried every variety so far (except one which will be my next review) and they have knocked it out the park each time – especially with their compuesta blends.

Canarias Te Verde y Jengibre was not something I’d expect to like much, but it has easily become one of my favorites from them.

The added ingredients aren’t strong enough to overshadow the yerba and that’s how I think a compuesta blend should be.

The traditional yerba taste with just a slight hint of grassiness from the green tea and a kick of spice from the ginger make this bag a must-try in my books.

If this sounds like something you will enjoy, grab a bag below now:

Amazon (US | UK | CA | ES | DE | FR)
Click Here To Get A 1000g / 1kg Bag

PampaDirect (Worldwide)
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P.S. If you enjoyed this review, you might want to check out our shop for mate gourds and bombillas!