Trying guayusa always feels more like trying a caffeine free herbal by the taste of it, but the buzz says otherwise. Also realizing that this herb is a cousin of yerba mate, it’s shocking how they can be so similar yet have a completely different outward appearance. Yerba mate is bitter and smoky, whereas guayusa is almost completely free of any bitterness or astringency. The taste is very clean and herbal. While it tends more towards earthy and herbal flavors, there is sort of a green tea like sweetness to it (likely because it has theanine). The
I held off rating guayusa because I haven’t tried any other guayusas to compare it to. Flavor-wise, I’d compare it to rooibos, the flavor is non-offensive, but maybe a bit boring to some. The buzz is quite potent, but I’d personally opt for yerba instead.
