Playadito has always been a crowd-favorite. Known for their sweet-tasting, long-lasting mates, will their Despalada version live up to their reputation?

We’ll find out in today’s Playadito Despalada review.

I’ve been drinking this mate every day for the past two weeks and it’s been great.

Despalada brands have always been a nice variation of yerba mate in my eyes, as the higher leaf content produces a stronger, yet smooth flavor.

And that’s just what happens in this mate…

Nose

Playadito Despalada starts with a beautiful burgundy colored packaging that sheens in the light. There’s no way this can’t catch your eye. Opening the bag, this yerba mate instantly releases this sticky sugary aroma. Notes of fresh bread and thick berry jam are also mixed in the bouquet. Overall, the smell is very pungent, sweet, yet pleasant to the nose.

Taste

When I took my first sip of Playadito Despalada, it was everything I expected. After reviewing Playadito and Liebig in the past (both come from the same company), it’s clear that their mate always features their signature sweetness. And in their Despalada version, it’s no different.

Upfront, the first thing I notice is a leading floral/soil taste. It plays the leading role and makes up most of this mate’s flavor. But underneath its earthy veil are sweet decadent notes of honey, toffee, and nougat. And surprisingly, there are distinct caramel and nutty flavors that balance out the mate. After a few refills, however, the flavor starts to change. The sweetness dies down a little and now hints of fresh grass, butter, and sugar can be detected.

Compared to my traditional Playadito review, I noticed I detected very similar notes without even referencing it which is pretty cool because they’re the same brand. However, the difference between the two is Playadito Despalada isn’t as sweet. Its earthy notes and astringency are more powerful.

I found this mate to do best in water temperatures in the lower range of 140ºF (60ºC). When higher, the astringency of the mate takes over from the first sip and builds up too quickly for me to enjoy it.

Finish

Playadito Despalada has a weak finish. Barely any of the notes from before transfer on. Only faint notes of grass and earth linger for a few seconds and then completely disappear. An astringent/bitter taste also builds up the more you keep sipping, but it never becomes too overbearing. A quick sip of water also washes it away if it gets too strong. When brewed at higher temperatures though, the finish is much more apparent.

Body/Texture

Playadito Despalada has a light body as is expected with most sin palo brands. The texture is velvety smooth and has no sharp or harsh features. In the beginning, it does have a slightly bitter bite and astringency to it, but this all goes away after a few refills. From there, the rest of the mate becomes watery.

Cut

Playadito Despalada is an Argentinian brand filled mostly with leaves (as it should). The leaves are uniformly cut with a medium-size, sporting many different shades of light green, dark green, tan, brown, and yellow. Although this is a without stems cut, there are still palos present in the bag but very few. The dust content is also below average but still enough to leave a heavy imprint on your palm when preparing.

Preparation is easy with this mate as the dust holds the yerba together. Most sin palo brands tend to slide around in the gourd, but not with this one. Plus, thanks to its larger particles, any bombilla will work.

Cycle

Like its brothers and sisters, Playadito Despalada is another yerba mate with a long cycle. It might even be the longest because of its high leaf content. Every time I drink this mate, I can easily finish an entire liter in my medium-sized gourd. Sometimes, I can’t even finish it because of how long it lasts. But I’m not complaining. With a super long cycle, this becomes a great mate for those contemplative solo sessions as well as for sharing with friends and family.

Effect

From past experience, I found despalada brands to produce stronger effects than traditional yerba mate. And this still remains true with Playadito Despalada.

This mate takes things nice and slow. Although effects take place almost instantly, every sip after that only subtly increases the feeling. Enhanced focus, senses, and creativity are the main things I notice. I can write with ease, colors look more vibrant, and my head feels light and floaty. For some, I can see it being a little too much. But not for me. This mate leaves me feeling relaxed and cool.

I’d only recommend drinking Playadito Despalada in the morning. Its effects are strong and will keep you up if consumed any later.

Playadito Despalada Yerba Mate Review

Playadito Despalda is a good mate, but not one that really wowed me. I personally prefer the traditional Playadito over this one.

However, if you want something that’s stronger in taste, this brand is for you.

It carries the same signature sweetness and long duration, but with an original taste of its own. If you liked all the other Playadito blends, this will be another one you want to add to your collection.

If you want to try this mate for yourself, then visit one of the links below now!

PampaDirect (Worldwide)
Click Here To Get A 500g / 1.1lb Bag

Un-Mate (Europe – 10% OFF Order)
Click Here To Get A 500g / 1.1lb Bag

P.S. If you enjoyed this review, you might also want to check out our store for extra yerba mate gear.