Once upon a time, a “lavender wearing gentleman” was a polite euphemism for referring to someone who was gay. Today, things are a lot bolder. As we say Happy Mardi Gras to our LGBTQIA+ community and allies it seems appropriate that, with Tasmania’s lavender harvest having just been completed, we place a spotlight on this unique Australian botanical.
At some point in our childhood every one of us was scarred by a bad “lavender” potpourri in our Nanna's bathroom. That nasty arrangement was pretending to be something that it wasn’t. The closeted scent had nothing to do with “true lavender” and was merely cocktail of synthetic molecules designed to mimic the real thing.
For those lucky enough to have the privilege of smelling a pure lavender essential oil, they will know that the genuine plant extract is beautiful, fresh, herbaceous, green, earthy and very subtly floral. There is barely any hint of camphor.
Although lavender is not native to Australia, we wanted to spotlight the variety grown and harvested by our friends at Essential oils of Tasmania because of its exceptional quality and the wonderful story of 100 years of cultivation that sits behind todays’ harvest.
Originally brought over to Australia from France in 1922, EOT’s Tasmanian lavender has adapted and evolved over those decades to our climate and soil. The result is that the species of “true lavender” (lavandula angustifolia) has now become its own unique genus, offering gentle & softer fragrance notes.
True lavender provides us with fresh, crisp, herbaceous & subtly floral notes. The essential oil is also generally regarded as one of the world’s blockbusters in aromatherapy for its calming effect on the central nervous system.
If you’re in the neighbourhood next week, feel free to drop by the Embassy to sample some of this years’ harvest from EOT. Far from remaining in the closet and surrounded by cheap synthetic mimics, this genuine beauty is out and proud and worthy of its own spotlight.
