Spearmint absolute

Sweet spearmint, chewing gum, green herb, a touch of hay. Rounder and less sharp than the oil; the carvone note is softer.

Carvone, the main constituent, is IFRA-restricted (2020). Limonene is present and is an EU-labelled allergen above threshold.

Store dark, sealed and cool.

Mentha spicata is a perennial mint. The United States (Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Midwest), China and India are major sources. Most oil output goes to chewing gum and toothpaste.

Carvone has two mirror-image forms with different odours: (R)-carvone in spearmint smells of sweet mint, (S)-carvone in caraway seed smells of caraway. It is a classic example of how molecular handedness affects odour.

An absolute is made in two steps. The raw material is extracted with a non-polar solvent such as hexane to give a waxy concrete. The concrete is then washed with ethanol, chilled to precipitate waxes, filtered and freed of alcohol. What remains is the absolute.

Spearmint absolute is made in small volumes compared with the oil. It keeps heavier fractions and smells rounder, more like crushed dry leaf.

In perfumery spearmint absolute serves green, cologne and cool herbal accords. It pairs with citrus, basil, lavender and vetiver. Dosage is calculated from carvone.

Spearmint absolute is usually a dark green paste. On evaluation carvone shows at once, then a dry leaf and light hay note that lasts longer than the oil. In soap and oral care the oil is more common because it is cheaper and easier to use; the absolute is mainly for perfume. It suits cool herbal, tea and green accords. With lavender and bergamot it gives a fresh green note without the chill of menthol. The source species should be stated.