Black Cardamon Tincture & Alcohol-Free Extract

Black Cardamon (Amomum subulatum), the greater or Nepal cardamom, is a perennial of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae, native to the moist forests of the eastern Himalaya in Nepal, Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Bhutan, where it is grown under shade on steep hillsides. Leafy shoots 1 to 2 meters tall rise from a stout rhizome, while dense spikes of yellow-lipped flowers sit at ground level. The fruit is a tough, ribbed, dark brown capsule 2 to 3 centimeters long, much larger than green cardamom, packed with sticky black seeds; drying over open fires gives it a smoky, camphor-like aroma that flavors garam masala. We extract the dried fruit.