Rhubarb

Rhubarb traces its roots to Siberia, where it originated as a medicinal plant long before anyone imagined it in a kitchen. Marco Polo encountered the plant during his travels across Asia and helped spread it along trade routes, introducing it to new regions and uses. For centuries, physicians valued rhubarb primarily for its supposed healing properties—it was only in the 18th century that it transitioned into culinary imagination, appearing in pies, jams, and preserves across Europe and beyond. This dual legacy as both medicine and food shaped how cultures perceived the plant for generations. The leap into perfumery came much later, as synthetic chemistry opened new possibilities for recreating natural scents. Rhubarb found its place in fine fragrance over the past few decades, rapidly becoming one of the defining notes in contemporary green and fruity compositions. Today it stands as a modern classic—a note that feels both fresh and innovative, rooted in ancient origins yet unmistakably contemporary.