Fresh mint, spearmint, and peppermint are all in the same family of plants but they smell and taste slightly different. Fresh mint is a little tangy with a sweet taste developing into a cool, refreshing aftertaste. This is the type of mint you'd use to make cocktails, tea, dessert, and so on. Peppermint has a stronger flavor and is used to make toothpaste, gum, and candy. The plant is darker in color and the leaves are a little fuzzy.  And then there is spearmint which is sweeter and milder than peppermint and often features in savory recipes like stews, sauces, and soups. It's paler in color and smoother to the touch than peppermint. So although they're all similar, each type of mint is slightly different. They all have a similar shelf life.