Mentha is a woody fragrance released in 2017 by Fiele Fragrances. Mentha was created by Linda Sivrican and Mike Sivrican.

Mentha is described as “perceptive, open, thriving” and “fresh, minty, comforting”.

I was excited to try Mentha, because I haven’t worn many scents that feature mint as a prominent note. Mostly I associate mint with tea, particularly the lovely tea services in Morocco. Looking at the Fiele Fragrances website, I noticed that they are sourcing their mint for this fragrance from Morocco. I wondered if there was any difference between the spearmint in Morocco and the spearmint that I grow in a pot here in the Midwestern U.S.

MOROCCAN MINT TEA

Mint tea, or atay bil naânaâ, is an essential part of everyday life in Morocco, and an iconic symbol of Moroccan hospitality. It starts with Chinese gunpowder loose-leaf tea, and contains heaps of sugar and fistfuls of fresh mint leaves. Other herbs may also added, like wormwood (artemisia), lemon verbena, or sage, but there is always mint. The preparation of Moroccan tea is ritualistic, from the special pounded silver kettle, to the ornate and colorful glasses, to the showy pouring “at height” to aerate the tea.

It’s traditional to drink three glasses of tea from the pot — each serving gets stronger and cooler. There is a saying that goes: the first glass is as bitter as life, the second is as strong as love, the third is as soothing as death. An offering of mint tea in Morocco is a gesture of welcome which can’t be refused.

Mentha is not a mint-tea fragrance. But I felt that the ubiquity of mint in Moroccan life through tea would lead me to discover whether the importance of sourcing mint from Morocco was based in truth or legend.

The mint that is favored for tea in Morocco is grown in the area around Meknes. It is Mentha spicata, which we know as spearmint, but the mint grown in Meknes is claimed to be superior and more vibrant. Mint will grow vigorously in all kinds of soils and conditions. Anyone who has planted it in a garden or flowerbed can attest to its tenacious proliferation. But the light red silaceous soil around Meknes, known as Hamri, is said to be the best for growing mint. So, I set out on some research to find out if spearmint has terroir — does the soil and climate where it is grown affect its taste (and smell)?

THE TERROIR OF MEKNES MINT

To find out if the mint from Meknes really is different, some chemists did a chromatographic analysis of spearmint essential oils from mint grown in different regions, compared the chemical compositions, and published their results. There are many chemical compounds in spearmint essential oil, and the percentages of these compounds vary between regions, but the most significant differences found were that the mint from Meknes has higher percentages of limonene and carvone than mint grown in other areas of Morocco.

Based on comparing the composition of Meknes mint to mint from many other areas around the world, the findings suggest that geographic location does influence the chemical composition of spearmint. So the sourcing of spearmint and spearmint essential oils for fragrances can make a difference in the smell of the final product.

An interesting fact about limonene and carvone is that both of these compounds are enantiomers. Each has molecules that take the form of two different geometric configurations which are mirror images of one another. And each of these configuations, or isomers, has a distinctly different smell.

The (S)-enantiomer of limonene has a somewhat harsh lemon and turpentine smell, while the (R)-enantiomer of limonene has a more sweet citrus-orange smell. The (R)-enantiomer is also known as D-limonene, and this is the type of limonene that is found in spearmint oil.

The two enantiomers of carvone have even more different smells. (R)-carvone smells like spearmint, while (S)-carvone smells like caraway, much like rye bread with seeds. The (R)-enantiomer of carvone is what occurs naturally in spearmint and spearmint essential oil.

Having higher percentages of (R)-carvone and D-limonene could mean that the mint grown in Meknes has more minty and citrusy flavor than mint grown in other regions. The Moroccans are connoisseurs of mint, and it was fun to find that there is a real, chemical basis for their claims of spearmint superiority.

MENTHA FRAGRANCE REVIEW

Mentha opens with an arresting rush of spearmint and green jasmine. This is not the macerated mint that you find at the bottom of your mojito — it’s like crushing the leaves between your fingers. The quality is immediately evident, this is a real, natural, beauty of a fragrance.

As soon as Mentha settles into my skin, I can smell a gorgeous waft of honey-floral neroli, and a bright, sweet and juicy tangerine. The overall effect is just lovely, the other notes perfectly accentuate the beauty of the natural mint. The mint is invigorating but not at all bracing.

After the first hour a spicy green cardamom adds warmth to the cool mint and sweet tangerine. Also, creeping up from below is a pungent, wet cedar and a woody vetiver. Together they give me the suggestion of citronella.

After three hours, the scent becomes mainly cedar, with some woody vetiver and a hint of green jasmine. The opening and heart are enticing enough that I reapplied Mentha several times once it got to this stage.

On a single wearing, without topping up, the total longevity on my skin was about 6 hours. (The last three were mostly cedar, but the first three were sublime spearmint with tangerine). Sillage was medium. Both men and women can easily wear this unique fragrance.

Fiele Fragrances says that this fragrance is “fresh, minty, [and] comforting.” I was expecting fresh and minty, but I was surprised by how truly comforting I found the scent of Mentha. It is beautiful, completely modern, and really smart. All of the notes feel harmonious and balanced. The smell of spearmint is familiar, but not at all referential to things usually associated with mint, like toothpaste or chewing gum (and it also does not go down the tired road of limp, bruised mint in a cocktail). Mentha is a thoughtful and artistic presentation of the best things about mint.

Manufacturer’s listed notes are clementine, spearmint, jasmine, neroli, cardamom, vetiver, cedar, bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, orange, sandalwood, and musk.

Mentha is an Eau de Parfum and available at $108 for 50mL at fielefragrances.com.