Peppermint vs spearmint
The two mints sold interchangeably as 'mint tea', with different chemistry and opposite characters. Which one you have decides whether a Moroccan preparation works or tastes harsh.
botanical
What is being compared
Why these get confused
'Mint tea' names both without distinction, and the substitution is invisible until it is tasted.
Point by point
| Aspect | Peppermint | Spearmint |
|---|---|---|
| The plant | A sterile hybrid of water mint and spearmint, propagated entirely from cuttings — every plant descends from a few original clones. | A true species, and the nana cultivar grown in Morocco is selected specifically for the tea. |
| Menthol | High. This is what makes it cold in the mouth. | Low. Which is why it reads as sweet rather than cooling. |
| Flavour | Sharply cooling and slightly peppery, with a bitterness if steeped long. | Sweet and rounded, with none of the cold bite. |
| Which tradition uses it | European and North American infusions, and most confectionery. | North African and Middle Eastern tea, used fresh and in quantity. |
| Fresh or dried | Usually dried, and it holds its menthol reasonably well. | Usually fresh where it is drunk most — a bunch bought the same morning. |
| In Moroccan mint tea | Wrong. The result is cold and harsh rather than sweet. | Correct. This is the mint the drink is built on. |
The short answer
Most people who say they like mint tea like spearmint. If a mint drink has ever tasted medicinal, peppermint was probably the reason.
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