French Lavender

French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) is the wild, untamed cousin of English lavender, with a boldly aromatic character dominated by camphor and rosemary-like herbal notes. It is less sweet and more pungent than what most people expect from lavender, carrying an almost medicinal sharpness that feels invigorating rather than soothing. There is a resinous, slightly piney quality underneath that gives it a distinctly Mediterranean personality - think sun-baked hillsides and wild garrigue scrubland.