You know that person in your life you can always depend on? You know… the one who if you have a problem and need advice, he/she always has the perfect answer?
Well in the world of yerba mate, Cruz De Malta is that person.
With this brand, you never have to second-guess drinking it.
Cruz De Malta is a traditional and popular mate of Argentina, and it’s what I recommend to almost every newcomer (you’ll find out why in a second).
Even best-selling author, Tim Ferriss, loves it.
If you’re wondering why, then keep reading this Cruz De Malta Yerba Mate Review to discover how it tastes and more!
Nose
To the nose, Cruz De Malta releases natural fumes of earth and soil, but is balanced by a light sweetness and crisp fruitiness. When brewing in the gourd with hot water, a different aroma rises into the air. Now, a more grassy note (reminiscent of the brand Kraus) fills my senses. Think of leafy green vegetables.
Taste
In a world where bold, strong, and bitter personalities are the majority of the yerba mate population, Cruz De Malta is nothing like it. Rather, it strikes the perfect medium between too light and too bitter. Cruz boasts a hearty earthy flavor with nice woodsy and bready undertones, while a natural sweetness is present in the back. No smokiness, sharpness, harshness, or intense bitterness is found in this mate.
However, there’s a unique and subtle sourness to it, which is typically found among Paraguayan yerba mates. As you go into the second half of this mate though, its earthiness is replaced by a nice butter note.
I found Cruz to do best in water temperatures of around 140-150ºF (60-66ºC). Any higher, and its bitterness gets too strong and can be off-putting.
Finish
The aftertaste of Cruz is just as good as the taste itself. After swallowing, it opens up with the same earthiness and breadiness but transitions into a lovely note of roasted nuts for you to indulge on.
Body/Texture
Cruz De Malta is a light-to-medium bodied mate. The initial few gourdfuls lay heavy on the palate, but isn’t overwhelming. Rather, extremely smooth. However, after this quick phase, Cruz becomes light and easygoing. This mate flows in and out. It has no intentions on making a fuss or disturbing you. It just goes about its business.
Cut
Cruz De Malta has a traditional Argentine cut. Leaves have a uniform medium-cut. Plenty of white and tan palos fill the bag. Some can be as long as one centimeter, while others are short and wide. A good amount of dust is present as well, which makes preparation easy as the mountain of mate sticks in place. Burnt black/brown leaves can be found here and there too.
Cycle
Unfortunately, Cruz has a short cycle. It starts off strong with lots of flavor, but instantly takes a nosedive after a few refills. One gourd can be rich and flavorful, but the next can all of a sudden be weak. I can only finish up to 1/2 to 3/4 of a liter with a medium-sized gourd.
Effect
When it comes to effect, Cruz doesn’t skyrocket your energy levels in an instant. Instead, it provides a constant stream of medium-level energy, an uplifting mood, and better focus. For me, this makes it perfect for low-physical activities like reading and writing.
You don’t have to worry about feeling jumpy or overwhelmed with Cruz either. In fact, it provides a calming effect. When I drink Cruz, time seems to slow down, as well as my mind. The only thing I can focus on is what’s in front of me. My vision and hearing are heightened as well.
Cruz is great any time of the day.
Cruz De Malta Yerba Mate Review
Like I said in the beginning, if you’re just starting out (or even if you’re experienced), Cruz De Malta is a brand you can always depend on.
Aside from its cycle, there’s nothing that can go wrong with this mate.
Easy to prepare, delicious notes, and a wonderful effect, Cruz De Malta is a brand that meets all the typical descriptions you hear about yerba mate. Making it a perfect introduction for beginners, while a classic for more experienced drinkers.
And here’s the best thing…
It’s super cheap.
Probably the most affordable yerba mate brand I’ve come across.
So if you’re interested, visit one of the links below now to give Cruz a try.
Amazon (US | UK | CA | ES | DE | FR)
Click Here To Get A 500g / 1.1lb Bag
Click Here To Get A 1000g / 1kg Bag
PampaDirect (Worldwide)
Click Here To Get A 500g / 1.1lb Bag
Click Here To Get A 1000g / 1kg Bag
Un-Mate (Europe – 10% OFF Order)
Click Here To Get A 500g or 1000g Bag
P.S. If you enjoyed this Cruz De Malta Review, you might also want to check out our store because you’ll find one-of-a-kind items.
Hi Darren does this yerba mate cause cancer I’m just asking for info on it cause thier is so much bad info out there I have this brand just thought I would ask before I start drinking it …thanks for your help 👀
Hi Ahuva!
No specific brand is known to cause cancer. There have been studies in the past that claim yerba mate cause cancer but most of them were flawed in their research. Lots of studies also contradict each other in this regard. Some say it does, some say it doesn’t.
The only answer I can tell you is I’ve been drinking for years and I have no problem doing so 🙂
If you want to know more about my take on yerba mate and cancer, read my post here.
Cheers,
Darren
Hey Darren,
Beginner here, the first bag of mate is ever tried was bought from a spice market so I never could learn where it was from or even if it had a brand. It had a very oregano-like smell and the aroma was grassy with a sort of eucalyptus note. Sadly I run out like a year ago, since then I used storebought teabags of mate which had a very similar taste to it, obviously, they probably taste nothing like the traditional way so I finally decided to invest in a gourd and bombilla to learn it for myself. I picked Cruz de Malta and to my nose, it was surprisingly similar to some sort of green tea, like Matcha or Japanese Sencha. After I brewed it I found it to be a vastly different taste than I had expected or experienced. I just don’t have a reference point to how it is supposed to taste like, and google brought me here. Have I been drinking a different strain of it? Or is it actually not my taste but somehow I came across a mate blend which I enjoyed more the first time?
thx in advance
Hi Gio,
Thanks for sharing!
If the first bag of mate you had was prepared in a teabag, then yes, the taste of Cruz De Malta prepared in a gourd will be vastly different as the brew is a lot more concentrated. It could also be possible the first bag you had was flavored or blended with other herbs. It’d be hard to pinpoint what brand it is based on taste alone.
Cheers,
Darren
How do u prepare it?
Hi Lupe,
You prepare Cruz De Malta like any other yerba. You can learn step-by-step in my post here.
Cheers,
Darren
Hey Darren,
Really like your website. How often do you drink Yerba mate? Or what do you recommend a beginner on how often to drink mate?
Hi Andrew,
I drink it practically every day, every morning. My day doesn’t feel right if I’m not sipping mate. For beginners, you can drink it as much as you’d like. I’d just recommend starting with a small amount to gauge how the mate affects your body and mind first. Then, if it’s not enough, drink more!
Cheers,
Darren
I just tried this for the first time having mate and wow its strong! Also, it tastes very smoky to me, i’ve read some types are wood fire dried, but you mentioned no smoky taste in your review above.
Hey Mason,
Thanks for the comment!
As it’s your first-ever time tasting mate, all brands will taste smoky to your palate aside from maybe organic unsmoked brands. Like you said, Cruz De Malta is smoked with burning wood. However, after drinking mate for a few weeks and compared to most other brands, the smokiness is almost nonexistent.
When I wrote this review, I’ve had mate for a few weeks already so my palate was likely accustomed to the smokiness, making it hard to detect.
Cheers,
Darren
I didn’t think much of this when I first had it, but now that the bag is gone I miss it. The smoke and flavors hit me with strong nostalgia, which leads to positive creative thoughts. Right there with Anna Park as far as mental clarity. A nice switch up from Playaditio some days.
Hello, just tried Yerba for the first time! i chose this brand because you recommend it for beginners im very young and not a fan of bitter drinks and foods but after a few sips i started to acquire the taste and i did cold brew in a stainless steal gourd because frankly it is TOO HOT! like i microwaved it for 3 minutes and it was piping hot! i dont know any other ways to heat it good because i dont want it being too hot and i dont have anything that is a controlled heater like you have a heater witch you insert how hot you want it to be and ding! its done when it is that hot but i dont have anything like that so what are some options on the cheaper side of heating water?