At the start of the 20th century, England was famous for producing the best mint in the world — the French still call peppermint menthe Anglaise, or English mint. Over the years, pressure to grow food crops and the cost of labour brought a decline in cultivation, leaving the US to become the centre for commercial production.

Summerdown’s mission to reintroduce this traditional crop began in the mid-1990s as part of a trend towards authentic food created for its quality and character.

We felt the food industry was selling its customers short by offering cheap peppermint oil blends that feature harsh-tasting imports from China and India — and we were sure that, once people experienced the clean, intense taste of pure English mint, they would appreciate the difference.

Black Mitcham mint is now rooted in English soil once more and bringing its unique flavour to a growing range of Summerdown products.

It took more than a decade to re-establish traditional Black Mitcham mint on our farm in the foothills of the Hampshire Downs. We had to relearn lost mint farming skills from America and import and adapt the latest production techniques and technologies. One major challenge was adapting the plants and techniques to suit British conditions.

When our mint fields have been harvested, the leaves are taken to our purpose-built distillery. The result is a rare, single-estate peppermint oil with an intense flavour and a scent that is also highly-prized by aromatherapists.