Con palo or sin palo: which yerba mate should you choose?

Read the name first

Con palo means that yerba also contains stems. Sin palo identifies a variety without stems. This is a useful first distinction, but those two words do not tell you everything about the taste, processing or preparation.

What is in yerba?

A blend may contain larger and smaller leaves, finer leaf particles and pieces of stem. Taragüi describes larger leaves as part of the balance of the blend, smaller leaves as contributing intensity and flavour, and stems as providing structure during refills.

In its sin palo variety, the blend of larger and smaller leaves is intended to produce a more pronounced flavour. That description applies to a specific product. It is not a rule that every yerba without stems must taste the same.

Choose by the description

If you are just starting, read the particular product’s description: what it tastes like, how finely it is cut and how the manufacturer recommends preparing it. If you already know what you enjoy, compare a new yerba with one you know.

Change one thing at a time. Using the same cup and a similar water temperature makes it easier to notice what you enjoy in a new blend. This is a suggestion for personal comparison, not a universal quality test.

Remember: con palo and sin palo describe the composition. You discover your favourite flavour through individual products.

Sources: Taragüi: yerba composition and product differences; Taragüi sin palo.

Find your next step. Explore yerba mate or browse equipment for preparation.

A small comparison that tells you more than a label

Choose two products but keep the cup and preparation method similar. Note herbal, smoky or fruity notes, bitterness and how the water passes through the filter. Avoid changing the yerba, water temperature and bombilla at the same time: otherwise it is difficult to tell what made the difference.

Frequently asked questions

Choosing your first yerba · Explore the yerba collection