Mintu liqueur: history, types, how to drink and interesting facts
The refreshing drink known as the "king of mint liqueurs" comes from Turku, Finland.
An amazing combination of icy freshness and enveloping softness has turned Minttu into the world's best-selling mint liqueur.
Over time, the crystal white color of Mintu liqueur darkens (apparently due to the sugar in the composition).
Brand story
Nowadays, menthol drinks are no surprise, but in the late 80s, the idea of creating an ice-cold liqueur with fresh mint seemed innovative and unusual.
The recipe for the legendary product was developed by the Americans, and the Finnish factory Chymos was chosen to implement the project. The plant in the south-west of the northern country, founded in 1906, specialized in the production of confectionery, soft juices and alcohol from natural raw materials.
The name for the new brand was taken from the main ingredient ("minttu" means "mint" in Finnish). But the design was creative: the manufacturer chose not the usual round bottle, but an elongated rectangular bottle with smoothed edges, which resembles a piece of ice in shape and color.
Initially, mint alcohol was sold only in the United States, where it quickly gained a lot of fans. Soon, the brand also conquered European markets, in particular the German and Austrian ones. The Scandinavian drink has become especially popular at ski resorts, where its original taste and warming effect are appreciated.
At home, "Minttu" began to be sold only in the 90s. Around the same time, the original strength of the drink (50%) was reduced to 35-40 degrees, and it moved from the schnapps category to the liqueurs category. As a result, sales fell slightly, but did not reach a critical level.
In 2008, the Swedish company V&S Group together with its subsidiary V&S Finland (the owner of the Chymos brand) became part of the French giant Pernod Ricard.
Types of Minttu mint liqueur
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Minttu Peppermint
Traditional version of herbal liqueur. Has pronounced menthol notes and a sweet aftertaste. Combines icy freshness and velvety softness.
Minttu Pear
A flavorful mint-fruit drink with pear.
Minttu Choco
A surprisingly harmonious liqueur with milk chocolate. Lovers of sweet drinks will like it.
Minttu Black
An original mint product complemented by salted black liquorice. Differs in pleasant tartness.
All liqueurs are made from natural ingredients according to a secret recipe.
Main ingredients: alcohol, water, sugar, mint essence, cocoa butter, fruit extracts, licorice, chocolate.
How to drink mint
Mint liqueur is recommended to be drunk firmly chilled, even ice cold. Usually, the drink is placed in the freezer before sampling, where it acquires a viscous consistency.
A popular way of tasting is a classic shot: the drink is poured into small glasses and drunk in one gulp.
Minttu is also added to cocktails, combined with black coffee, fruits, berries, hot chocolate, and ice cream.
Interesting facts
The liquor is often called "Finnish vodka" due to its high strength and crystal clarity. At the same time, high-degree alcohol is drunk softly and easily.
To obtain colorless Minta, the manufacturer uses distilled water and a special kind of sugar.
If you take a closer look at the inside of the label, you can see Bigfoot there. Locals claim that the drink was created specifically for a meeting with Bigfoot. It not only warms you while traveling in the mountains, but also eliminates the fear of the owner of the snowy slopes.
Update: 21.06.2019
Category: Liqueurs and Tinctures