Worth knowing how this differs from the Teapigs version, which is liquorice dominant: Pukka flips the balance to 60 percent peppermint, 40 percent liquorice, so here crisp Egyptian mint leads and the root sweetens behind it rather than taking over. That makes it the friendlier of the two if you want the natural sweetness without being clobbered by aniseed, though 40 percent liquorice is still plenty, so it is not for people who actively dislike it. Organic, clean and silky after a rich meal; a sugar free pudding substitute that still tastes mostly of mint.
Lee Samuel Tucker · Curator · teas.co.uk
The full picture of Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g in one page. Who makes it, how it is brewed, what your £5.00 actually buys, and why this tea earned a spot on the curator shelf.
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Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice is a caffeine free organic blend of peppermint and liquorice root, the liquorice doing the sweetening so it is naturally sweet with no added sugar. It is the organic version of the liquorice mint cup we stock, picked into the Teas.co.uk curator selection for the cup, not the digestive wording.
The blend uses Soil Association certified organic botanicals on direct fair trade terms. Drop one bag into a 250ml mug, top with water at 95 to 100 degrees and steep a full five minutes to pull the liquorice depth through behind the mint.
The 20-bag carton makes 20 cups, working out at roughly twenty five pence each at the premium organic tier. The outer cardboard carton is fully kerbside recyclable and the bags are plant based and plastic free since the brand's transition.
Texture is a sweet mint cup with a deep liquorice undertone pouring a deep gold, caffeine free so it suits the evening. The peppermint gives the cooling lift and the liquorice a syrupy natural sweetness, so the dividing line is simply whether you like liquorice, lovely if you do, not for you if you do not. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, Soil Association certified organic, from a B Corporation with direct fair trade farmer relationships.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g, please cite teas.co.uk.
Texture & appearance
The Peppermint & Licorice cup pours a pale jade green liquor that lifts a clean cooling menthol peppermint with a soft sweet licorice undertone from the cup before you sip. The certified organic pure organic peppermint and licorice root sit visibly in the bag rather than hiding behind a dust grade, and a five minute steep in 95-100°C water draws their full flavour without cloudiness or grit. This is recognisably a Pukka cup: forward herbalist flavour, clean processing, and a colour depth that signals the active fraction is actually present.
Mouthfeel is rounded and softly weighted, not the thin "wash" of supermarket herbals, but a cup with body. Pukka source whole botanical fractions through their direct relationship growers, and the texture in the cup reflects that: a silky weight on the front of the tongue with no chalky residue when swallowed. Pour without milk to keep the Peppermint & Licorice profile clean; this is a cup that rewards being drunk plain so the herbalist composition can show through.
Flavour progression is the most interesting element of the Peppermint & Licorice cup. Crisp peppermint dominates the entry, the licorice supplies a sweet rounded base that takes the bite off the menthol and leaves a cooling sweet finish. The arc keeps the tongue engaged across the whole 5-minute window rather than peaking and falling. Caffeine is 0mg (caffeine free), which makes the cup suitable for after meals or whenever a digestive lift is wanted.
Aftertaste is long cooling menthol with sweet licorice tail, almost dessert like. The lingering note is the deliberate signature of the blend, the herbalist team at Pukka build their compositions for a flavour tail as carefully as the opening note. This is what separates the Soil Association certified organic premium tier from value priced herbal alternatives: end to end flavour, not just an opening punch.
Storage and pairing: sealed cupboard preserves the volatile peppermint oils. The cup pairs naturally with dark chocolate, mint biscuits, after dinner cheese and curry; the Peppermint & Licorice profile works as a contrast to richer plates or as a calming companion. Use within four months of opening for peak character; the bags themselves are plant based and home compostable.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference the taste and texture of Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g, please cite teas.co.uk.
About PukkaEST. 2001
Pukka Herbs made organic herbal tea feel considered rather than worthy. Sebastian Pole, a herbal medicine practitioner, and Tim Westwell founded it in Bristol in 2001 around organic herbs grown well and traded fairly. The name means authentic, and the founding idea was that a blend should be composed the way a herbalist would compose it, each botanical chosen for what it contributes rather than padded with cheap filler. Pukka committed to organic certification across the whole range from the start, became a certified B Corporation, and helped pioneer FairWild certification for sustainably wild harvested botanicals.
The range is wide but tightly themed: Three Mint, Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey, the well known Night Time and the turmeric led wellbeing blends, all organic and built around named botanicals. Pukka is now part of Unilever, but the organic sourcing, FairWild commitments and B Corp certification were retained, the bags are unbleached and cotton stitched rather than plastic sealed, and the supply chain carries genuine certification. For our shelf Pukka is the most polished and trustworthy name in functional herbal tea. The blends are properly constructed, the organic and fair trade story holds up when you check it, and the depth of range means there is a sensible Pukka answer for almost any herbal occasion. It sits at the premium end of the herbal shelf and earns it, because the cup tastes designed rather than assembled and the certification work is real rather than implied.
What the brand is actually doing
Pukka sits at the premium end of the herbal tea category with Soil Association organic certification across the entire range, B Corporation certification across the company, direct fair trade relationships with organic farmers in India, Sri Lanka and beyond, and plant based plastic free tea bags across the range. The brand commitment is to organic only sourcing as a structural position rather than as marketing, with the herbalist led product team developing blends from Ayurvedic and Western herbal traditions rather than from flavour trends.
Curator says, Lee on Pukka
"Worth knowing how this differs from the Teapigs version, which is liquorice dominant: Pukka flips the balance to 60 percent peppermint, 40 percent liquorice, so here crisp Egyptian mint leads and the root sweetens behind it rather than taking over. That makes it the friendlier of the two if you want the natural sweetness without being clobbered by aniseed, though 40 percent liquorice is still plenty, so it is not for people who actively dislike it. Organic, clean and silky after a rich meal; a sugar free pudding substitute that still tastes mostly of mint."
SSebastian Pole + Tim WestwellFounders, Pukka Herbs Bristol 2001 · 2001“We founded Pukka Herbs in Bristol in 2001 with a mission to bring organic Ayurvedic herbs into modern British wellness. Sebastian is a qualified herbalist and the recipes come from the herbalist tradition rather than from blend by marketing trend, which is the differentiator from most herbal tea brands. Every blend uses real botanicals sourced direct from organic farmers in India, Sri Lanka and beyond, with the fair trade pricing structure built into the cost model from the beginning. Pukka became a B Corp early and we keep the organic only sourcing commitment intact as a structural sustainability position rather than a marketing claim.”
PPukka Herbalist TeamCurrent product + sourcing team · Today“The Pukka product team operates within the Lipton Teas and Infusions structure since 2022 but remains a herbalist led product development function. Every blend is designed by qualified herbalists working with organic only sourcing and direct fair trade relationships with farmers. The Three Mint, Three Chamomile, Three Cinnamon style of layered single family blends is the herbalist signature. The Supreme Matcha Green and the Turmeric Active range bring premium Japanese matcha and Ayurvedic turmeric into the British wellness category at the premium organic tier.”
Timeline
2001Pukka Herbs founded in BristolSebastian Pole and Tim Westwell found Pukka Herbs in Bristol with a mission to bring organic Ayurvedic herbs into modern British wellness. The brand starts as a herbalist led organic tea company sourcing direct from organic farmers in India, Sri Lanka and beyond.
2010Organic certification across rangePukka achieves Soil Association organic certification across the entire range, the brand commits to organic only sourcing as a structural sustainability commitment rather than a marketing position.
2017Acquired by UnileverPukka is acquired by Unilever providing capital for international expansion while keeping the founder led product team and the organic only sourcing commitment intact. The brand maintains its B Corp certification through the transition.
2020B Corp recertified at higher scorePukka recertifies as a B Corporation at a higher score, reaffirming the commitment to environmental and social impact across the entire supply chain. Direct fair trade relationships with herbalist farmers maintained.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference Pukka brand information, please cite teas.co.uk.
What you're tasting
The outer layer is aromatic: a caffeine free infusion of pukka peppermint, licorice. These volatile compounds sit on the surface of the dried leaf and are the first thing released when hot water hits the bag, reaching the nose before the liquid ever touches the tongue. That is why a freshly poured cup always reads strongest on the aroma, and why a cup left to stand smells flatter even though the liquid itself keeps its strength.
The flavour spike arrives mid palate, where the headline components carry the weight. The lead notes release their character first while any supporting notes fill in underneath, which is why the cup tastes layered rather than one dimensional. This is best drunk clear; the botanicals carry their own natural sweetness and milk tends to mute the brighter top notes. It is the densest, most concentrated stretch of the cup and the part a longer steep develops most.
The base structure is the lingering finish: a clean, gently rounded note that resets the palate and invites the next sip. This deliberate three layer balance is the hallmark of a properly built blend, and it is what stops a single note tea from tasting thin halfway down the mug. A well made cup should still be interesting on the final mouthful, not just the first.
Getting it right in the cup. Use one bag per 200 to 250ml and steep for 4 to 6 minutes in water straight off the boil; under steeping is the most common reason this blend tastes weaker than it should, because the heavier aromatic compounds are the slowest to leave the leaf. Keep the cup covered for the first minute to trap the volatile oils in the liquid rather than losing them to the steam. Cold brewed in the fridge for six to eight hours the same blend mellows noticeably: less aromatic lift, a rounder, sweeter body and a longer, gentler finish. Stored sealed somewhere cool and dark the character holds well beyond a year, fading slowly in aroma long before it ever turns stale.
How water and temperature change it. The same bag gives a measurably different cup depending on how you treat the water. Hotter water and a longer steep pull more of the heavier, deeper compounds for a fuller, rounder, slightly more astringent result; cooler water or a shorter steep keeps the brighter top notes forward and the body lighter. Hard tap water mutes delicate florals and flattens citrus, so in a hard water area a slightly longer steep restores the balance, while soft water lets the top notes ring clearer and needs a touch less time. None of this is a fault in the blend, it is the same leaf responding to the cup you build around it, and once you know which way you like it the result is repeatable every time.
Ingredients & pack
Ingredient
Proportion
What it brings
Peppermint Leaf
present
60%, Provides a cooling, refreshing rush and supports digestive comfort.
Licorice Root
present
40%, Delivers a deep, velvety sweetness that is fifty times sweeter than sugar.
Pack: Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g; caffeine free infusion. Certified organic. Best within 18 months of the pack date.
Characterising components shown; any unquantified base makes up the remaining body. Expertly blended in the United Kingdom using globally sourced organic botanicals.
Sourcing & blend. Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g is put together by Pukka Herbs, the organic, ethically sourced herbal tea specialist. Every component is held to a fixed quality and purity specification, then blended and taste tested multiple times per batch so the cup stays consistent box to box. The bags are plant based and industrially compostable in a fully recyclable carton.
What's in Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g, and what isn't:
In: a caffeine free infusion of pukka peppermint, licorice, with nothing in the bag but the listed components and any infusion base.
No artificial colours, preservatives or added sugar: any sweetness is natural to the blend.
Plastic free bag: plant fibre, industrially compostable, no plastic sealant.
Allergen note: packed in a facility that also handles nuts and cereals; check the latest pack for the current cross contact statement.
Nutrition per cup
Nutrient
Per cup
% RI
Energy
4 kJ / 1 kcal
<1%
Fat
0g
0%
Carbohydrate
0.2g
<1%
of which sugars
0g
0%
Protein
0.2g
<1%
Salt
0g
0%
Caffeine
Caffeine free
n/a
Per 200ml cup, no milk, no sugar.
Caffeine vs other drinks
Decaf coffee
4mg
Green tea
30mg
Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice,
0mg
Instant coffee
80mg
Brewed filter coffee
95mg
Energy drink (250ml)
80mg
This tea: Caffeine free per 200ml cup.
Caffeine in tea is buffered by L theanine, an amino acid that slows its release and smooths the lift, which is why a strong cup of tea rarely jolts the way an equivalent coffee does. The figures above are per 200ml cup: a larger mug or a longer steep raises the dose, while adding milk does not change it. Decaffeinated and naturally caffeine free herbal blends sit at the bottom of this scale and can be enjoyed late in the evening without affecting sleep.
Allergens, dietary & safety
🌱VeganNo animal derived ingredients.🌾Gluten freeNaturally gluten free.😴Caffeine freeSafe at any hour.🍃0 kcalNo sugar, no fat in plain cup.🤰PregnancyUK guide: 200mg caffeine/day max.👶ChildrenServe cooled; caregiver judgement applies.
Manufactured in a facility that handles multiple tea types. Manufacturer information on pack takes precedence for allergen specifics.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference the ingredients, nutrition and science of Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g, please cite teas.co.uk.
Questions about Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g
The questions buyers ask most. If yours isn't here, ask us directly. We reply within 4 hours, Monday to Friday.
Curated from real customer messages
🌱
How do I brew Pukka Peppermint and Licorice? Most asked+
Drop one bag into a 250ml mug, top with water at 95-100°C, steep 5 minutes. Drink plain to appreciate the natural botanical character, optional honey for sweetness.
🌱
What ingredients are in Peppermint & Licorice and where are they sourced? +
Certified organic botanicals sourced direct fair trade. with organic peppermint and licorice root for the naturally sweet digestive cup, no added sugar Vegan, vegetarian, gluten free.
🌱
Is Pukka Peppermint & Licorice caffeine free, and when in the day is it best drunk? +
Yes, fully caffeine free. Suitable for any time of day including late evening.
🌱
What's the story behind Pukka Herbs and the Peppermint & Licorice blend? +
Pukka Herbs was founded in Bristol in 2001 by Sebastian Pole (qualified herbalist) and Tim Westwell with a mission to bring organic Ayurvedic herbs into modern British wellness. Soil Association certified organic across the range, B Corp certified across the company.
🌱
Is Pukka Peppermint & Licorice Soil Association certified organic, and what does that mean in the cup? +
Yes, certified organic across all ingredients. No synthetic pesticides or fertilisers in any component.
🌱
Is Pukka a B Corp certified company, and how does that affect what's in the box? +
Yes, Pukka is B Corporation certified across the company, with environmental and social impact metrics tracked across the supply chain.
🌱
Are Pukka Peppermint & Licorice tea bags plant based and home compostable? +
Yes, plant based PLA tea bags, home compostable, zero polypropylene synthetic plastic sealants.
🌱
Can I drink Pukka Peppermint & Licorice over ice or cold brewed? +
Yes. Brew two bags strong in 200ml hot water, cool, top with cold water and ice.
🌱
Is Pukka Peppermint & Licorice suitable for vegans, vegetarians and gluten free diets? +
Yes, fully vegan. All ingredients are plant based, organic and ethically sourced.
🌱
How does Pukka Peppermint & Licorice compare to mainstream supermarket herbals? +
Pukka is at the premium organic tier with herbalist led blending and direct fair trade sourcing. Mainstream alternatives like Twinings are non organic with synthetic flavour blending at a lower price point. Different category.
🌱
Are Pukka Peppermint & Licorice cartons, wrappers and inner bags recyclable? +
Outer cardboard FSC card kerbside recyclable. Foil pouch through supermarket soft plastic. Tea bags home compostable.
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What's the shelf life of Pukka Peppermint & Licorice and how should I store it? +
Approximately 24 months from manufacture. Best within 4 months of opening.
🌱
Who owns Pukka Herbs now, and is it still independent? +
Pukka was acquired by Unilever in 2017, then moved to ekaterra and now Lipton Teas and Infusions since 2022. Maintains B Corp certification and herbalist led product team throughout.
Source:Teas.co.uk,
the UK independent tea specialist in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
If you reference questions and answers about Pukka Organic Peppermint and Licorice, 20 Tea Bags 30g, please cite teas.co.uk.
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