Why you should be using single origin spices

At BoTree we are passionate purveyors of the highest quality spices. That’s why we choose single-origin spices which come from protected and designated regions. The most important thing about single origin is its traceability. With coffee, we like to know exactly where the beans come from and it’s exactly the same with spices. Blends have a bad reputation because the more you mix, the less pure they become - losing both quality and flavour. Using single-origin spices means you can experience one particular taste at its purest form, unique to that particular environment.

Botree began with producing the ‘king of spices’, pepper, in the most ethical and sustainable way possible before considering expansion. We have our own farm in Kampot pepper and know exactly what it means to produce spices that are the best of their kind, organic and fair to both the environment and the people that grow them. So when we decided to expand our range we could not do anything different. All the new spices are deliciously unique, best in class, with pedigree and ethically farmed.

All our spices come from selected regions where the climate, soil and traditional know-how yield the finest spice crops. Our range includes 30 gourmet spices, including Cured Sumac and Flowering Hyssop Thyme from Turkey, Cloud Forest Cardamom from Guatemala and Herati Saffron from Afghanistan. Because it can be hard to choose, we’ve created three bundles to make things easier for you, including: Ottolenghi-inspired collection, Chef’s essential collection and a Build your own bundle.

When searching for the world’s finest seasoning products, firstly, we ensure that spices are single-origin, and secondly, we research diligently to source the best growing regions with the perfect climate for a particular product.

As foodies, we are used to single origin coffee and we understand the implications for taste and sustainability. It’s now time that we extend this same standard to spices. When you think that we use spices to season literally everything we eat, it makes even more sense that we take a stand and switch to single origin.

Be warned - when you buy spices from supermarkets, you are most likely buying stale spices. Spices on the shelves of your average supermarket may have been there for a year or more, and they’ve probably sat in a warehouse for at least a year before that. Meaning you are most likely buying stale spices, which are most likely poor quality and may contain contaminants.