CLOVE LEAVES

Clove leaves have a recognisable clove-like spice character with an aromatic, herbaceous side. The leaf is not simply a fresh green counterpart to the dried spice: it can deliver a clear, penetrating clove impression of its own. In perfume, this combination can give a warm accord a more herbal inflection, with the balance determined by the other materials.

The leaves come from Syzygium aromaticum, the same tree whose unopened flower buds become culinary cloves. Both leaves and buds yield fragrance oils, but they are separate materials. Clove leaf essential oil can be obtained by steam distillation; some commercial grades receive further processing. Eugenol contributes to the familiar clove character. The note name does not specify a grade or confirm natural leaf oil in a perfume, and it does not mean the result must be weaker than a clove bud note.