The ever-green clove trees belonging to the myrtle family originate in Asia, on the Indonesian Maluku Islands. From there, the dried buds and the cloves found their way to Europe in ancient times. In addition to their culinary use, they were always thought to have healing powers. Their aroma can be described as intense, sweet and bitter. High-quality cloves release a little bit of oil when they are scratched. In addition, they either float vertically in the water with their head up and stem down or sink to the bottom of the water – both a sign of quality.