Had an ex who did Peace Corp in Paraguay and first introduced me to it. Hated it: bitter, astringent; didn't really care for the green version. Later in life came across mate again from Argentine culture and fell hard. While I liked sharing, I did enjoy drinking solo more. It really made me super productive at work during problem solving and was an all-day drink unlike tea or coffee. Moderation is key: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es303494s I had to attenuate my drinking after 3 yrs of my favorite brand, Rosamonte Seleccion Especial. I've since moved more to coffee but there is still a lingering tender spot for my beloved mate.