I’ve been drinking a yerba mate called Sara for the past 3 weeks.

It’s a Uruguayan brand that’s not too popular here in the United States, but it’s one I’ve heard mentioned quite often so I finally decided to review it.

To say the least, if you’re a fan of the more well-known Uruguayan brand, Canarias, Sara won’t let you down either.

In today’s review, we’re going to go over how it smells, tastes, looks, feels, and more.

I’m already finished with more than half a kilo of Sara and here’s what I’ve found…

Nose

Opening a bag of Sara is like opening most bags of yerba mate. Nothing unique here. Sharp and bright notes. Grassy and woody with hints of sweetness. When brewing in the gourd, the mate gives off a vegetal aroma with a salty undertone.

Taste

After my experiences with other Uruguayan brands (Canarias and Fede Rico La Mejor), I expected a similar complexity and I wasn’t let down. On my first few sips of Sara, she boasts this semi-fresh, semi-roasted grassy flavor with hints of hay. Very reminiscent of Brazilian chimarrao (brands like Ximango and Madrugada). Overall, a pleasant natural earthy taste I can’t get enough of.

(Bombilla Available Here)

As I keep drinking, I begin picking up on these more subtle flavors. The most noticeable one is peanut butter. Think Skippy. Along with that though is a delectable natural sweetness coupled with a slight minerality in the background that pulls the mate together. Unlike some other yerba mate brands, Sara contains no harsh bitterness or trace of smokiness, making it beginner-friendly, yet complex enough for advanced drinkers.

I found Sara to do best in water temperatures of 150-160ºF (66-71ºC). Any cooler and you won’t extract all the flavors it has to offer. Any hotter and the mate’s flavor is burned out.

Finish

On the finish, Sara contains hints of caramel and carries over the nuttiness from before. The aftertaste lasts for around 30 seconds.

Body/Texture

Sara is a medium-to-full-bodied mate. When drinking, you’ll quickly notice its soft and creamy texture. Light and smooth, this mate caresses your palate as it passes by. By the second half of the mate, however, Sara loses its weight and starts to become watery but still packed with flavor.

Cut

Sara features a classic Uruguayan cut. This mate is composed mostly of finely chopped and pulverized leaves mixed with an abundant amount of dust. Stems are kept to a minimum and are mostly long and splinter-shaped. Some leaves are also burnt to a dark brown or black color, but overall, the blend contains a rich olive green color.

Preparation is quite easy as the mountain of mate is firmly held together by the small particles, allowing it to be closely compacted. However, this can also leave room for clogging. To prevent this from happening, every time after you finish a gourdful, use your bombilla to push the yerba back up the mountain. This is best done with a spoon bombilla.

Cycle

This mate has a long cycle. With the gourd pictured in this review, I can consume 1-1.5 liters before all its taste is washed away. Its flavor also doesn’t take a noticeable drop. Rather, from beginning to end, Sara keeps its strength all throughout. Even when I wet all the leaves, the mate still gives off some good flavor.

At times, Sara lasts so long I don’t even finish my entire gourd because I’ll be sitting there consuming so much liquid. So when you go and prepare yourself some, you might want to add a little less yerba than usual so you don’t waste any.

Effect

When it comes to effects, Sara likes to be gentle and caring.

She never likes to get you too hyper. Instead, she helps you relax while also improving your focus and concentration. Whenever I drink this mate, I’m always in a better mood. The effects are also very subtle. You won’t feel it instantly. It gradually comes to the surface. I don’t notice a difference until 5-10 minutes after taking my first sip. And when I do, it’s never overpowering.

I like to consume Sara in the mornings and afternoons. Evening may be a little tough as it lasts for a long time and I might not end up finishing all of it.

Sara Yerba Mate Review

For materos looking for a palate-friendly mate, Sara is the brand for you.

Not too complex in the flavor, but enough to intrigue your taste-buds, this brand is great for both beginners and advanced drinkers. You won’t experience any harsh smokiness or bitterness. Just a smooth and natural herb.

Compared to the powerhouse brand of Uruguay – Canarias – Sara doesn’t match up to it.

However, it will definitely serve as a good introduction with its more mellow flavors and natural sweetness.

Sara is something I can drink daily and always rely on. I can see myself going back to this brand in the future and wonder why I didn’t get another bag of it sooner. Although nothing too unique with this mate, there’s also nothing bad I can say about it.

It’s tasty, flavorful, rich, and lasts a long time.

If you want to try it out for yourself, visit one of the links below now!

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

PampaDirect (Worldwide)
Click Here To Get A 1000g / 1kg Bag

P.S. If you enjoyed this Sara yerba mate review, you might also want to check out our shop for exclusive gourds, bombillas, and more.