Botanical: Grains of Paradise
Grains of Paradise actually comes from a plant closely related to ginger.
Native to West Africa, the name itself was assigned by European spice traders who sought to inflate the seeds’ price on the European market. Flavorwise, it’s slightly spicy and reminiscent of black pepper and was an inexpensive substitute during the height of the spice trade in the 17th and 18th centuries.
In modern times, we know it for its own flavor which is unique and complementary in gin, imparting a flavor somewhere between black pepper, coriander and cardamom.
