The taste of culinary lavender is best described as a harmonious blend of floral and herbal notes, often with subtle citrus or even slightly woody undertones, depending on the specific variety and how it's used.
Floral is definitely the most prominent characteristic that comes to mind for most people when they think of lavender. This delicate, sweet, and aromatic essence is primarily due to compounds like linalool and linalyl acetate, which are abundant in the plant's essential oils. When used correctly, this floral quality can add an elegant and unique dimension to both sweet and savory dishes, evoking images of fragrant gardens.
However, lavender is also distinctly herbal. As a member of the mint family, alongside plants like rosemary, thyme, and basil, it shares some of their earthy, slightly savory, and often camphor-like qualities. This herbal aspect provides a grounding effect to the floral notes, preventing the taste from being just like perfume. In fact, it's this herbal foundation that allows lavender to integrate so well into savory applications like herbes de Provence blends or rubs for meats. Some varieties of lavender, particularly those less suited for culinary use, can have more pronounced herbal notes that lean towards medicinal or piney due to higher camphor content.
While "woody" isn't the primary descriptor for the taste of good culinary lavender, it can certainly be present as a subtle background note. This is particularly true for certain varieties or if the stems are used in cooking, which can impart a slightly more robust or earthy flavor reminiscent of wood. The compounds responsible for lavender's aroma can also contribute to subtle woody nuances at certain concentrations.