Giffard Pepper Mint Pastille (Peppermint) bar liqueur / 21% / 0.7l

In 1885, Émile Giffard, a pharmacist and pharmacy owner from Angers, developed the formula for Menthe-Pastille liqueur.

The huge success of the drink (six medals won in five years) allowed the creator to end his career as an apothecary and begin a much more exciting profession as a distiller. Giffard chose Mitcham peppermint, a spontaneous hybrid of spearmint and water mint, which began to be cultivated in the early 18th century in Surrey, England, and soon the largest cultivation area was Mitcham. The key to extracting the full essence from the mint leaves is time; the shorter the interval between harvest and the beginning of the process, the richer the extract. Before the mint harvest begins, the company places a large container equipped with a system of copper pipes ending with a condenser on the edge of the field. Steam fed through the pipes causes the essence to be extracted from the mint leaves, which is condensed outside. The mint oil obtained in this way is then distilled, the middle fraction of which is the heart of Giffard's mint liqueurs. The Peppermint Pastille presented here debuted in 1888, when Menthe-Pastille was taking Europe by storm. Its formula includes spearmint alongside peppermint, but the proportions remain a closely guarded family secret.

Giffard recommends serving Peppermint Pastille with ice, sparkling water or tonic.