King of Spice, also known as Black Pepper, or “King of Spices” as it was locally called in India, truly stood out as the king of spices that kick-started the multi spice routes in the eastern part of the world, from the ancient Malabar Coast and the southern part of India, to the coastal lands of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka. For centuries before them, spices had been the exclusive property of the royalties of various countries. King of Spice, on the contrary, was a common man. For example, he would use a stick of cinnamon to light his fire or to boil water for tea. But the story of King of Spice is much more interesting than any of these stories. It is also related to the beginnings of world civilization, and to the cross-cultural interaction that has marked the evolution of humanity.
The name King of Spice came from the Black King of England, who was conquering a large number of Indian and Middle Eastern countries. This pepper was so rare and exotic that the Black King was not contented with the trade in spices alone but also wanted to invest in gold and silver, and set up a spice rack in the British palaces. Thus, the pepper was only available in places where there were rich plantations, including King’s Own, a princely state in the British East Indies. This king, it is rumoured, introduced the Black Magic Pepper to the Indians and even created ways to keep track of the different varieties of pepper by creating grading systems, which is still in use today.
King of Spice quickly spread all over the world, especially in Britain and Europe, and King of Spice soon became known as the King of Spices, and was looked down upon because of this “creeping ruin” on their spice market. By 1793, when the British brought their first cottonseed spice back from Africa, King of Spice had gained a firm hold on the industry, making huge profits for both the manufacturer, and the importer/exporters. In the US, with the passing of the Plantation Acts, all spices coming from any foreign countries had to be identified by their country of origin, and King of Spice was no exception, and his products became known as KOT, a short form of King of Tasty, as people began to call him.
There is no specific history available about how Spice got its name, but thanks to one man, we do know where it got its start. This man was Sir Francis Bacon, who had established a small printing and publishing business in London in 1760. His business interests included researching new species of plants and animals, and he became interested in discovering more about the spice trade and eventually went on to study plant life in India and Sri Lanka. During his studies, he came across the india’s King Edward’s pepper, and he sold this pepper and its seeds to the British. According to popular legend, the King of Spice was so impressed by the fruit that he invited bacon to his court, and through the assistance of his ministers, the two developed a strong business partnership.
The King of Spice was not contented with just the pepper and seeds. He wanted to see firsthand what all the hype was about, and so set out to create his own brand of pepper, called “King of Pepper”. Though there was initial resistance, the product soon found favor with the masses and word spread fast. King of Spice used various spices and essential oils, including black pepper and pipelines, to create his unique blend of scents.
The scent of King of Spice was originally created using black peppercorns, though other spices such as cinnamon and cardamom soon found favor. Some of the earliest records of KOT date back to the eighteenth century, and even the trademark design were not created until the early nineteenth century. One of the scents included in King of Spice was cardamom, and this ingredient contributes to King of Spice’s widespread popularity. Cardamom provides a sharp, aromatic scent, perfect for blending with other spices for an irresistible blend. Though cardamom is the key ingredient of King of Spice, it is not the only one used; cumin, ginger, garlic, fennel, coriander, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, allicin, ginger, nutmeg and cardamom are also included in the formula. These ingredients combine to make King of Spice one of the most popular scents in the world.
