#32 Tonka: The Aromatic Whisper of the Amazon

In this episode, we follow the tonka bean—a fragrant seed with roots deep in the Amazon and branches tangled in colonial trade, perfumery, and ritual. Once banned, now coveted, tonka carries the scent of contradiction: vanilla and tobacco, memory and longing, sweetness and sorrow. Through its journey, we explore how aroma becomes archive, how desire is distilled into resin, and how a single seed can whisper stories of migration, enchantment, and grief.