If you’re tired of light and mild-tasting mates, turn away now.

I’ve mentioned a few posts ago that most of these niche brands (or lesser-known brands) tend to have a much weaker flavor profile, and today’s mate continues to prove that to be true. However, only if brewed at the wrong temperature.

Finding that sweet spot will give this mate the muscle it needs.

Sol De Acuario is unsmoked and not only is it an organic brand, but it also happens to be the first one to be certified organic in Argentina.

Another fun fact: Sol De Acuario is produced by the same factory as Roapipó!

Having tried Roapipó over a year ago, I expected this one to taste similar.

Let’s see if we’re right…

Nose

After carefully peeling open the classic paper packaging, Sol De Acuario releases a decadently sweet aroma I’ve never smelled in any other mate. Where the grass/hay in other brands sit at the front, they take a backseat here, making room for notes of caramel and vanilla.

Taste

Being the cousin of Roapipó, I can easily see how Sol De Acuario is related. For my first gourd, my initial thoughts were that it’s boring. And looking back to my review of Roapipó, I had the same exact thoughts. Now to clarify, I’m not saying it tastes bad. It tastes great. But it lacks uniqueness and complexity, blending in with many other brands I’ve tried already.

On my first few sips brewed at 140-150ºF, the typical grassy and herbaceous, green tea-like taste of organic brands is present along with a prominent floral note, giving me flashbacks to Union Suave. But brewed at 160ºF, I’m hit with stronger notes of soil, bread, oat, and cream. Then after a few refills at either temp, they both fade into a mixture of grass, pine, cedar, and mint. Behind each sip is also a light tartness which helps give the mate more character. Compared to other unsmoked organic brands like Porongo, Anna Park, and La Obereña, Sol De Acuario is similar in taste, but a lot more palate- and beginner-friendly. Throughout the entire session, it maintains a perfectly smooth and well-balanced brew.

I found this brand to do best in the 160ºF range as it produces a stronger, softer mate. But I would definitely recommend trying different temps to see which one suits your tastebuds better.

Finish

At the finish, Sol De Acuario leaves barely a trace behind. A slight taste of soil from before and… that’s about it. The finish lasts a few seconds and then flashes right before your eyes, leaving your palate renewed and ready for another sip.

Body/Texture

Sol De Acuario is a light-to-medium-bodied mate that’s exceptionally smooth from the first sip. Combined with a bit of weight and this brand offers a creamy texture with no rough edges. This softness seems to mostly come from its high palo content as you’ll see in a second. Compared to most brands, the astringency is kept to a minimum. You get a slight tart bite but there’s none of that drying/constricting sensation.

Cut

Sol De Acuario features your typical Argentine cut but with noticeably more palos. The second you open the bag, large white stems along with splinter-sized ones cover most of the surface. Leaves sport multiple shades of green and are mostly a medium-sized cut, but are balanced out with lots of pulverized bits. For an Argentinian brand, there’s surprisingly a good amount of dust. Enough to even see it cake up when wet inside your gourd. Not pictured, but a handful of seeds are found throughout the entire bag too.

Preparation is as perfect as you want it to be for a leafy cut. Just the right amount of small particles and dust help form a nice solid mountain of mate every time. And the abundance of stems provides a nice filter on top of your bombilla.

Cycle

Sol De Acuario, as expected, has a short-to-medium cycle. Just by the look of how many palos were in the bag, this was expected. In the gourd pictured in this review, I was only able to finish around half a liter before it ran out of flavor. The good news though is the strength doesn’t die out quickly, rather, it slowly dwindles down.

Effect

When drinking Sol De Acuario, expect the cliche effects of yerba mate to take place.

You won’t feel anything until about the second gourd as the herb gradually begins to kick in. From there, focus and concentration are enhanced as the mind quiets down. Distractions are easily blocked from taking you off task and you get a stronger sense of mental clarity. And of course, the best part, there’s no crash or side effects either. After finishing an entire bag, I’ve never felt jittery, anxious, overstimulated, or experienced any stomach issues.

Compared to most brands, the strength of its effect is about below average. I’d say this can easily be an all-day mate. Even for nighttime sessions if you’re used to that.

Sol De Acuario Yerba Mate Review

If you tried a good amount of brands by now, then Sol De Acuario will offer nothing new.

But to a beginner, this is a great unsmoked, organic option to go with.

You don’t have to be different when you’re already doing it right, and this mate is proof of that.

The flavor profile on this is so palate-friendly and easy to drink that it overshadows its lack of uniqueness.

Would I buy this again? Probably not. But if I was given it, I’d gladly finish the entire bag with no problem.

Sol De Acuario is light, balanced, and a crowd-pleaser. You can’t hate it, you can’t fall in love with it. If you need something safe and reliable, this is the one.

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, visit the links below to grab a bag now:

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

P.S. Check out our shop to find exclusive yerba mate gourds and bombillas to fit into your collection!