Add a touch of saffron to cooking and it turns the dish bright yellow. To perfume, it gives a sweet, earthy yet soft vibe. 

The sweet floral scent is nostalgic and wood-like at the same time with hints of hay and honey. Saffron adds a layer of complexity to oils and incense. 

Saffron is one of the most ancient perfume ingredients and one of the most expensive spices. It was popular in Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, often as a ‘single note’ perfume, as well as in more complex blends. Saffron was also used to scent baths, houses and temples, while in medicine it was a narcotic. About 150 flowers  yield 1 g of dry saffron. 

Even today, saffron is added to gourmet dishes and desserts made on special occasions like Eid. Now, the best qualities of saffron in the world come from Iran and India.

Smell saffron shine through in this stunning bakhoor: Maamoul Mukhallat