Peppermint is recognised by its clean, almost sharp freshness, which leaves a cooling sensation on the palate. Mariage Frères’ Mentha Piperita is just that: peppermint leaves, with no flavouring or other plants, in the house’s range of artisanal natural infusions. The single ingredient is listed exactly as it appears on the box.

It is offered in a box of thirty round cotton muslin sachets, with a net weight of 45 g. The mint leaf is light, and the generous muslin leaves it room to unfurl in the water, giving a fuller infusion than a tightly packed tea bag.

The liquor is clear and bright. The house describes it as precious, on a filigree with peppery, intense notes, with a remarkable smoothness: this is what distinguishes a quality mint from an ordinary one, that roundness beneath the freshness, without the harsh greenness of leaves that are too young or badly dried.

Naturally caffeine-free, it is drunk in the evening, after a meal, plain or lightly sweetened. It goes well with a square of dark chocolate, whose bitterness answers the menthol, or it can be served iced, in a tall glass, in summer. Lovers of Moroccan mint tea may also add a muslin to their green tea to bring out its aroma, in the Maghrebi manner, without sugar if preferred.

Allow one muslin per 200 ml of water at 95 °C and six minutes of infusion. Close the box firmly after use: the mint keeps its scent for a long time, but readily passes it on to everything around it.