The correct temperature, the correct cup (traditional Mate cup) and the precise way you prepare it (you put dry leaves in first and give it a good shake, then you put hot water - not boiled - to a certain level and you place the metal straw along with sugar and then you keep pouring water, etc…) changes the whole experience! I loved it when i tried in Argentina, then i bought it in a Latin supermarket in the US and tried to make my own, but it was nothing close to what I had drank down there. Later on, an Argentinian friend of mine made it for us, and bingo!! So don’t judge it by your own pouring… Also, remember that some people make it with sugar, some don’t. I think, even that could change the whole texture.
PS: Don’t drink it fast, or you’ll get the buzz, and you might also end up having diarrhea - especially if you’re on empty stomach