Peppermint
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) is a natural hybrid of watermint and spearmint, and the most intensely cooling of the culinary mints thanks to its high menthol content. Dried, it brews into a clear, pale infusion with a sharp, clean, cooling aroma and a brisk, refreshing finish. It is naturally caffeine-free and, alongside chamomile and rooibos, one of the most popular herbal infusions in the world.
Good peppermint is a deep green cut leaf that releases a strong, sharp menthol-mint aroma the moment you open the bag; faded, brownish, or weakly scented leaf has lost the volatile oils that carry all the flavor. Whole and large-cut leaf holds its aroma far better than fine, dusty material. The infusion should be clear and pale with a vivid cooling character and a clean finish, not flat or grassy. Because mint lives or dies on its essential oils, freshness and airtight storage matter a great deal. A powerful, fresh menthol smell is the single best quality indicator.
Mentha x piperita is a sterile hybrid of watermint (Mentha aquatica) and spearmint (Mentha spicata), propagated from cuttings and grown widely across Europe, North America (notably the US Pacific Northwest), and North Africa. The leaves are harvested and dried, with no oxidation step, to preserve the menthol-rich essential oils. Different cultivars and growing regions vary in menthol intensity, which is why some peppermint tastes sharper and cooler than others.
Use about 1 g per 100 ml (around 2 g per 250 ml cup), water at 90 to 100°C, steeped 5 to 7 minutes; mints can be steeped a touch shorter if you prefer a softer cup. It is caffeine-free and low in tannin, so it will not turn bitter, though the brightest top notes are best in the first several minutes. A single steep gives most of the flavor. It is excellent iced and is a classic after-dinner, digestive-style infusion.
€4-10 (about $5-11) per 100 g; everyday peppermint is cheap, with whole-leaf and organic grades at the upper end. Caffeine-free.
Prices reviewed June 2026
Spearmint
Spearmint is the gentler sibling: lower in menthol and naturally sweeter (its character comes from carvone), where peppermint is sharp, cool, and bracing.
Chamomile
Chamomile is the soft, sweet, floral evening counterpart; peppermint refreshes and lifts, chamomile soothes and settles, and the two cover opposite ends of the caffeine-free range.
Ginger
Ginger pairs with peppermint in many digestive blends, adding warmth and a little heat to balance the mint's cooling lift.
Peppermint's cooling sensation is not a temperature change at all: menthol activates the same nerve receptors (TRPM8) that detect cold, so your mouth feels cool even though nothing about the tea is actually cooling it down.