All the spices in your kitchen cupboard are also used in perfume, and they have the same effect as they do in cooking: they add extra punch and excitement. Pepper brings a fiery spark, cardamom adds a cool note, cinnamon and cloves create warmth, cumin lends an almost animalistic sensuality, and saffron feels luxurious. These are often scents we recognise instantly, precisely because we use them every day. Spicy perfumes can instantly transport you to a spice market in India or remind you of your favourite dish, the recipe for which has been passed down through generations. They take us back to the ancient spice route, along which these precious raw materials were transported from Asia to Europe.
