Grains of Paradise (Aframomum melegueta) are a type of spice in the Zingiberaceae family native to West Africa. Belonging to the same botanical family as ginger and cardamom, grains of paradise have a taste similar to that of black pepper with hints of citrus.

Grown in the swampy habitats of West Africa, grains of paradise were once a major cash crop for the region. Their worth was bolstered by the claims of Medieval spice traders who claimed that the spice could only grow in Eden, which is how it got its name. The Grain Coast of West Africa is named for the spice in the same way the other coasts are named after Ivory or Gold.

Through the Middle Ages and into the early modern period, the theory of the four humors - the idea that the body is governed by the four fluids of blood, yellow bile, phlegm, and black bile - guided the medical practices of the time. In this context, writer John Russell characterized grains of paradise in his book The Boke of Nurture as "hot and moist."

Roman author Pliny the Elder, meanwhile, referred to the spice as "African pepper." Quickly renamed grains of paradise, the botanical became a popular substitute for black pepper in 14th century Europe, and was recommended by the Menagier de Paris to improve wine that's gone stale. When the grains first arrived in Lisbon in 1460, their arrival was so cataclysmic that the price of pepper on the open market collapsed and many of those who had hoarded the spice at high prices were left in financial ruin.

The spice has environmental impacts, as well; research has shown that the presence of the seeds in the diets of lowland gorillas has a beneficial effect on their overall cardiovascular health. The primates feast on the seeds and leaves alike, and the absence of the plant is felt in zoos where captive lowland gorillas often have poor cardiovascular health. There's no evidence pointing to the plant having comparable effects on humans, although grains of paradise are valued in West African folk medicine for their warming and digestive properties. Among the Efik people in Nigeria, the seeds are used for divination and ordeals determining guilt.

So, what does all that have to do with gin? Throughout history, grains of paradise have played a role in the production of alcohol, especially after their popularity in cooking waned and they began to be used to flavor beer. In the mid-19th century, England was importing somewhere between 15,000 and 19,000 pounds of grains of paradise a year. Imports halted to a stop, however, after a parliamentary act forbade the use of grains of paradise in malt liquor and aquavit. Today, use of the spice has resumed, and it is often used in gin distillation as well. The botanical gives AMASS Dry Gin added depth, working in tandem with other peppery spices like cubeb and long pepper to impart the spirit with a distinctive piquancy.