Origins
Since Christopher Columbus discovered the West Indies and claimed
them for Spain in 1492, the Spaniards and later the Danes, Dutch, English
and French gained great wealth from sugar and tobacco grown in the
West Indies and took delight in the native exotic fruits, plants and also
spices for their unusual fragrances. The delicate, but powerful
fragrance emitted from the leaves, flowers and citrus fruits encouraged
their use in a variety of infusions and soon became popular in the Royal
Courts of Europe and England.
