Thyme

The Monograph

The Greeks burned thyme as temple incense and used its name as a compliment — to smell of thyme was to be refined. The Romans put it in cheese and courage. It never became the loudest herb in any kitchen; it became the most trusted. Two thousand years of steady employment without a single reinvention.

Earthy, lemony, faintly floral, with a dry mineral finish — rosemary's softer sibling. In drinks it adds sophistication without announcing itself, which is exactly what a good second drink needs. The leaves are tiny; a syrup is the sensible way in.