Natural Warrior Tea Review

Teas are giving coffee a run for its money these days. Natural Warrior is the latest offering of high octane teas that pack a punch and thanks to the good folks over there, I got to sample the most caffeinated ones.

Guayusa

When I heard the name Guayusa, I automatically assumed that this is a type of green tea that comes from the same bush as all others, just picked at the right time for maximum caffeine concentration.

I was wrong. Guayusa actually comes from a tree from the Amazon Rainforest. Both species and location were completely off. Can't say that I feel very proud, but I learned something.

This tea needs to be brewed for 5 to 6 minutes and makes a brown-ish tea that looks a lot like a cup of black tea. The Guayusa has a surprisingly mellow flavor that doesn't quite hit you until just before the finish. At times the flavor reminded me of that of a Pu-erh tea with its musky and earthy tones...except turned down a notch. The finish was surprisingly dry and clean which made me want to finish my cup of tea. But with the tea done, I had to grab a bit of water.

Very interesting and enjoyable flavor. Completely different from what I was expecting and it is safe to say that I was very pleasantly surprised.

Yerba Mate

The Yerba Mate is recommended to be brewed between 5 and 10 minutes depending on your strength preference. I went for the middle and timed 7 minutes. After 7 minutes I had a green-ish looking tea that quickly started to oxidize with the leaves removed. By the time I sat down with it, it was brown.

The Mate has an earthier and more intense aroma and flavor. I wish I had more tea to see how the brewing times would affect the flavor, but I can tell you that at 7 minutes, you get a pretty strong flavor. It is hard to describe Mate if you haven't had it and the descriptors that I often use sound disgusting, but in reality, Mate is delicious. So when I say that this has wet moss/ground and damp cellar flavor, I really mean that it has a very intense earthy notes. Don't be revolted. This is just the type of tea.

Surprisingly, the Mate is not bitter at all. It is much mellower than many other Mates I have had in the past. The earthy tones sneak around the back of your mouth and turn slightly acidic, giving you a dry and semi-clean finish. Some traces of the earthiness can be noted in the aftertaste, but overall, it is quite clean.

Energy

The Guayusa has the highest caffeine content of the Natural Warrior teas with about 80 mg per cup. The Yerba Mate is a close second with a concentration of 50 to 78 mg per cup. Of course this is if you follow the recommended brewing technique. If you want to, you can use more loose leaf tea for more caffeine. I increased the Yerba Mate concentration just a bit to make it similar to the Guayusa for an easier comparison of the effects.

The effects of both are felt within 10 minutes. As I was sitting in front of the computer at 6:00 am on Monday morning, I started to slowly feel a very familiar caffeine buzz slowly picking up pace through my body. The buzz at first is strong and almost gives you jitters. But after a few moments, it disappears and your mind focuses on the task at hand. I was writing for work and I felt very focused and calm for about 20-30 minutes. There were no jitters or any other ill side effects that were affecting me. I was just in the zone for that brief time period.

After the period of focus, the caffeine was fully absorbed and the focus started to be replaced by a a very energetic physical feel. I was ready to present, talk and get stuff done at work at that point.

The effects of both teas lasted for just over an hour after that, giving you almost 2 hours of focus and energy per cup. I felt no ill side effects, like a crash, at the end of the hour.

Overall, Natural Warrior teas taste and perform great! I love the earthy flavor and the focused effects. If you are seeking a coffee replacement, these may be the teas for you.

Scores:
Cost - $25 for 60 grams
Taste - 9.5/10 (same score for both)
Energy - 6.5/10 to 10/10 depending on concentration

Overall - 16/20 to 19.5/20...earthy, bold, with a great kick