Moroccan Whiskey

Mint tea, also known as Moroccan whiskey, is a staple when visiting Morocco. It’s served at breakfast, with dessert, and at any other time of day. It’s served in restaurants, cafés, by a friendly shopkeeper or guesthouse host. The tea is served sweet, but some cafés and hosts will serve it plain for foreign guests, understanding that high amounts of sugar may not be tolerated by all palates.  

Serving tea is a ritual beginning with the offering to the presentation and the act of pouring. I noticed that when I was traveling alone in Morocco, my hosts served tea with two glasses. This is tradition. A second glass is always included in the event the guest is joined by a friend or loved one. When serving from a silver tea pot, the pourer normally raises the pot high to allow the tea to cool as it’s being poured into the glass below while also creating a desired foam or “turban” on the head of the tea.

Serving tea at a café in the Medina, Marrakech

Aside from a generous amount of sugar, Moroccan tea is made from green tea and a healthy batch of mint leaves along with other herbs for added flavor. When I was in the town of Imlil in the High Atlas Mountains, I was invited to tea by a local shopkeeper, Ibrahim. He mentioned that he ran out of mint due to the demand during Ramadan. Instead, he added a different batch of local herbs and said, “don’t worry, I am a Berber man,” reassuring me that he is adept at selecting wild plants for consumption.  

I found that tea substituted nicely for coffee when eating the traditional Moroccan breakfast, which normally includes a generous amount of bread, cheese, amlou (almond butter mixed with honey and argan oil), fresh-squeezed orange juice and sometimes an egg. While staying in Imlil, my host would offer tea in the afternoon with a healthy plate of fresh walnuts harvested from trees in the village.

Traditional Moroccan breakfast often served with tea

Other treats that go well with tea are Moroccan cookies. Many cafés offer a small plate of Moroccan pastries to accompany the tea. And for a mere 50 MAD or $5, a variety box with all-you-can-stuff cookies can be purchased in Jemaa al-Fnaa square in Marrakech. Many cookies are made with nuts, almond paste, honey, and orange blossom water. They are light, crispy and with just the right amount of sweetness.  

Moroccan cookies made with a variety of nuts, dates, and sweetened with honey and flower water

Cookie cart frequently seen in Jemaa el-Fnaa square, Marrakech

Whether with breakfast, after dinner, or for a midday treat, Moroccan tea is an essential indulgence when visiting large cities, small villages, and everywhere else in between. You’ll be hard-pressed to avoid it as it is often offered on friendly terms by the locals; sometimes by a vendor in effort to sell you something, and other times out of commitment-free generosity, but always out of kindness.