MADAGASCAR SPICE

Spicy clove, predominately produced in Madagascar, is the overwhelming note in this scent. Sweet orange and just a small touch of black pepper sit atop of this favorite Pacifica blend. Clove, the primary spice in this blend, was once a coveted aphrodisiac and its oil was widely used in early Arab perfumes. The clove tree is thought to have originated in the Moluccas of Indonesia. It grew abundantly in this region until the Dutch conquest of the East Indies. During their colonial reign, the Dutch uprooted a majority of wild clove trees in order to monopolize the production of cloves. Later, seeds stolen from the Dutch-controlled groves were planted in the regions of Zanzibar and Madagascar. Clove trees have thrived in both regions and are now the major producers of clove bud oil. Clove oil comes from the underdeveloped flower buds of the tree. The bud must be hand picked to distill the fine oil. A tree can begin producing buds five years after it is planted and can continue to bear buds for a century.