Black garlic is not a variety — it is a transformation. Whole bulbs of French garlic (Allium sativum) are heated and matured over several weeks at low temperature and high humidity, triggering a slow natural process that turns the cloves deep black and entirely soft. No dyes, no preservatives, no additives of any kind. The colour is produced by time and heat alone.

The flavour is nothing like raw garlic. The sharpness is gone. In its place: liquorice, caramel, prune, raisin — a sweet, rounded depth with a long umami finish. It can be eaten as it is or used in the kitchen wherever you want complexity without aggression. Most black garlic sold in the UK is produced at volume in China — it is inexpensive and serviceable, but the base ingredient and process conditions are rarely disclosed. This is French garlic, made in France, using traditional French cultivars and a careful slow process inspired by the ancestral Japanese methods that first demonstrated what low heat and sustained humidity could do to a bulb of garlic over time. Small-scale artisanal production means more consistent temperature and humidity control, better raw material, and a noticeably more complex result. Two whole bulbs is a practical quantity — black garlic keeps well and once you start cooking with it you will find a use for it most days. It will not make your breath smell.

Origin: France

Ingredients: Garlic (Allium sativum)

Storage: Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Once opened, refrigerate and use within two weeks.