Ultimate Mint Collection

Ultimate Mint Collection. Four mint chocolates from Summerdown in a gift box.

Ultimate Mint Collection is a gift box from Summerdown featuring four varieties of mint chocolate, all made with mint oil from the farm’s own fields in Hampshire. No assortment of chocolates, no truffles, no set of different flavours.

Ultimate Mint Collection is a gift box from Summerdown that brings together dark and milk chocolate squares, filled fondant, and crunchy crisp discs made with Black Mitcham mint oil. A box of chocolates promises variety through many flavours. This box does the opposite. It focuses on a single flavour and presents it in four textures. Those who open it do not compare nougat to marzipan, but rather four answers to the same question: What does mint chocolate taste like?

This makes it an unusual gift box. It is not aimed at those who cannot decide, but at people who know their preference. Those who like mint chocolate will find no compromises here, but rather four variations of the same flavour.

One flavour, four forms

Every variety in the box tastes of the same peppermint, but each form gives it a different character: tart, mild, creamy or crunchy. The dark chocolate squares put cocoa first, with the mint following coolly. The milk chocolate squares are softer and sweeter, a gentler introduction for those who find dark chocolate too intense.

The fondant pieces have a light, soft centre that retains their coolness for a long time. The crisp discs add fine sugar crystals to the dark chocolate, which crunch audibly as they melt. Such small squares the size of an espresso cup are called napolitains, a confectionery term for individually placed mini-bars.

The differences are in the details. The dark chocolate squares contain at least 55 per cent cocoa, while the milk chocolate squares contain significantly less and instead include milk powder. The fondant is made from sugar, glucose syrup and water, bound together and kept soft. The crisp discs contain the same dark chocolate as the squares, but with sprinkled sugar crystals that do not melt but break. Four recipes, one oil.

Those expecting a selection of different flavours will find the box too one-sided. It is made for people who like mint chocolate and want to taste the difference between the forms. A guest who generally avoids mint will find nothing for themselves in this box. And the milk chocolate squares contain milk, so the box is not vegan, unlike the thin peppermint discs from the same farm.

As a tasting at the table or a treat with coffee

The box is ideal for a small tasting after a meal, where each guest tries all four varieties. Start with milk chocolate, then dark chocolate, then fondant, and finally the crisp discs. This builds the intensity, with the crunch coming at the end. Serve with an espresso or a strong black tea without milk. Those who want to host the tasting can ask the guests to guess which variety contains the most oil. The answer is usually surprising, as it is not the darkest.

For an afternoon coffee, place one piece of each variety on a small plate. The 170-gram box is enough for four people over two afternoons. Those who bake can chop the dark chocolate squares and stir them into brownie batter. The crisp discs are not suitable for this, as their sugar caramelises in the oven.

The box pairs with any drink that has a touch of bitterness. An espresso, an amaro or a glass of port wine complements the mint. A glass of milk is not suitable for the dark varieties, as it dulls the cocoa. For the milk chocolate squares, however, it is the perfect accompaniment, especially in the afternoon. Those who take the tasting seriously should provide a glass of still water between the varieties.

Our tip: Store the box at 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, not in the refrigerator. Cold causes the chocolate to bloom and dulls the mint flavour. Those who prefer the filled variety will find a whole box of them in the After Dinner Creams.

Seventy acres of mint, one oil, every chocolate

Summerdown grows Black Mitcham, an English peppermint that had disappeared from British fields in the 20th century, on around 28 hectares near Basingstoke. In the early 1990s, Sir Michael Colman brought cuttings back from the United States. Today, the farm is known as The Peppermint People, and nothing else is sold there besides mint and the products made from it.

All four varieties in the box contain the same oil. The harvest takes place in late summer, when the leaves have the highest oil content. The mint is wilted and distilled with steam on the farm. The oil then matures in barrels until its sharp edges are rounded off. Only then is it added to the chocolate, fondant and crisp discs. The dosage is adjusted for each form because fat, sugar and milk bind the flavour to different degrees. This maturation is why the mint tastes equally smooth in all four forms, even though the carriers are so different.

The farm uses regenerative methods, is certified as a B Corporation and won the BBC Food and Farming Award in 2022. For a mint farm that began on a tennis-court-sized plot thirty years ago, this is a remarkable achievement. The farm’s nickname, The Peppermint People, should therefore be taken literally. Chocolate, tea, candles and oil all come from the same harvest.

The box for anyone who takes mint chocolate seriously

What sets the Ultimate Mint Collection apart from other gift boxes is its focus. It does not aim to offer something for everyone, but rather to offer the best of one flavour. This is an approach one might expect from a farm that has grown only one plant for thirty years. As a gift, it is aimed at people who love dark mint chocolate and want to compare the forms.

It is perfect as a gift for a dinner party, a small token for colleagues or as an addition to a gift hamper of English specialities. The box is designed so that it can be given as it is, without any additional packaging. At 170 grams, it is light enough to be sent in an envelope to friends and large enough for an evening with guests. More varieties are available on the shelf for chocolate. Stored at 16 to 18 degrees Celsius, the box will last for several months without the mint flavour fading.

A box that asks a single question and answers it four times, each time a little differently.