Being originally from Argentina, and growing up drinking mate, I was very curious when this tea arrived in a tin next to a teapot as a holiday gift from my cohort.
Compared to traditional mate it is a completely different experience. It is a little sweet and spicy (like cinnamon) and I do get the slight tongue numbing feeling others have mentioned.
The mate of my childhood is much stronger and less complex in flavor.
Overall I enjoy it. However, I am just getting into loose tea and have a world of tea to explore, so I might not come back to this one for a while.