Mate flavour and expiry date

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I read the thread about Yerba Mate and actually purchased some to try. (Cruz De Malta is the brand) Upon bringing it home, I noticed it is two months past the expiry date. Since I don't know what its supposed to taste like, I'm curious if the expiry date has an effect on the flavour. It doesn't look to me like something that would turn bad or perish.

I'll describe the flavour and smell. Can someone respond in kind and let me know if this is 'bad' or the way it is supposed to taste/smell.

To me, the tea (once brewed) has a sort of pungent, ripe, barnyard hay smell...slighly musky like.. like wet hay that is slightly rancid. The flavour is rather bitter, vaguely reminisant of a grean tea, in that it dries and puckers the palle. Again "hay" kind of describes the flavour but in a bitter, ripe, puckery sort of way. Does that make any sense?

I'm not sure if I like it but perhaps the due date has something to do with it? Would you say it is an aquired taste? I'd should go buy a different bag of it, but its very hard to find. Anyhow, before I try to 'aquire' a taste for something that is potentially bad, I'd like to hear others experiences.

-- James H (jameshorner2@lycos.com), December 22, 2004

Answers

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