Green Tea Nana Mint – Moroccan Mint & Gunpowder

Spearmint Green Tea by Kusmi Tea, the Moroccan tea tradition in a cup

Spearmint Green Tea is a Chinese gunpowder green tea, refined with Nana mint – the aromatic Moroccan mint that defines the typical mint tea of desert cultures in Tuareg tea houses. Organic quality, real mint leaves plus natural mint aroma. Loose in a 100g tin. Refreshing, clear, a tea for after a meal.

The Spearmint Green Tea from Kusmi Tea is the Parisian interpretation of Moroccan mint tea. The base is Chinese gunpowder green tea from Zhejiang province, with leaves rolled into small dark pearls that release a bold, slightly smoky aroma when steeped. This is combined with real mint leaves and natural mint aroma – Nana mint, a robust spearmint variety used for traditional mint tea in North Africa and the Middle East.

Light green infusion, clear and menthol-fresh

It feels fresh the moment you open the tin: the bold, slightly smoky scent of the gunpowder green tea meets the zesty, almost ethereal Nana mint. The tea leaves are rolled into small, dark green pellets (hence the name gunpowder), with light green, dried mint leaves scattered in between like confetti.

In the cup, the Spearmint tea reveals a bright, luminous greenish-yellow hue. The first sip is clear, and the mint immediately takes center stage – mentholated, zesty, with the natural sweetness that only real Nana mint possesses. Beneath it lies the gunpowder, with its tart, full-bodied depth that provides structure to the mint. A tea that opens the palate rather than weighing it down, cooling and refreshing: almost like a sip from a Moroccan water fountain bubbling in the heat of the Medina.

After a meal or with couscous and dates

Spearmint Green Tea is the classic after-meal companion, especially following oriental or North African dishes. It pairs well with lamb couscous, couscous salad with mint and pomegranate, hummus and falafel, baklava, and Moroccan sweets. Serve with a fresh date, as Moroccan tradition dictates – and the gentle sweetness of the date interweaves perfectly with the tart hint of mint.

Traditionally, Moroccan mint tea is drunk very hot and lightly sweetened – served in small glasses, poured from a high-spouted pot to create foam. However, you can also prepare it in the classic European way: pure, without sugar. The tea is also a delight as an iced tea in summer, served with ice cubes and fresh mint leaves. For a pot, use about 2 tablespoons of loose tea per liter, steep with 80°C hot water for 3 to 4 minutes.

Within the Kusmi green tea range, Spearmint tea represents the most refreshing side – for something floral, try Rose Green Tea, or for something spicier, Ginger Lemon. To compare with peppermint: Nana mint has a milder, sweeter aroma than peppermint and contains less menthol, offering more depth instead.

The gunpowder tradition and the Kusmi touch

Gunpowder green tea originally comes from the Chinese province of Zhejiang. After harvesting, the tea leaves are dried before being rolled into small, dense pellets that resemble gunpowder – hence the name. Upon steeping, they unfurl and release their characteristic, slightly smoky aroma. This gunpowder has traditionally been the base for Moroccan mint tea since desert nomads encountered it along the caravan routes and integrated it into their tea houses.

The story of Kusmi Tea began in 1867 in Saint Petersburg, where Pavel Mikhailovich Kousmichoff opened his own tea house. Following the Russian Revolution, the family fled to Paris in 1917. Since 2017, almost all teas have been organically grown, packaged in the modern facility in Le Havre in iconic round metal tins. You can find an overview of all our blends in our Kusmi Tea collection.

Certification body FR-BIO-01 Non-EU agriculture