Herb
Clary Sage
C tier
Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) is a biennial with huge aromatic leaves and showy bracts—famous for muscat-like essential oil in perfumery and historical muscatel wine flavouring, not for everyday stuffing. Leaf flavour is heavy, balsamic, and quite different from kitchen sage. Culinary use is rare and experimental; most cooks meet clary as a fragrance plant. Do not swap freely with Salvia officinalis.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Essential OilExperimental CulinaryHistoric WineOrnamental
Traits
BalsamicBalsamic LeafDistinctFragrance FirstLarge BractsNot Stuffing SagePerfumery
History
DE
Clary sage entered European gardens for wine, medicine, and eye lore.
FR
Perfumery and muscatel traditions valued clary sage oil.
Essential-oil farms specialised in Salvia sclarea production.
Ornamental gardens grew clary for spikes more than kitchen leaf.