Commercial grade
Whole Cloves — product sheet
Whole Indonesian cloves imported for sorting, quality control and re-export.
Public reference specification
Public reference specification | Parameter | Published reference | How to verify |
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| Colour | Reddish to dark brown | Check and record against the agreed specification |
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| Whole-bud rate | min 90 % | Check and record against the agreed specification |
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| Stems | max 5 % | Check and record against the agreed specification |
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| Foreign matter | max 0.5 % | Check and record against the agreed specification |
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| Visible mould | None | Check and record against the agreed specification |
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| Total ash, dry basis | max 7 % | Request a laboratory test tied to the identified sample or lot |
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| Acid-insoluble ash, dry basis | max 0.5 % | Request a laboratory test tied to the identified sample or lot |
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| Moisture | max 12 % | Request a laboratory test tied to the identified sample or lot |
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| Volatile oil, dry basis | min 14 ml / 100 g (Indonesian grade 1); higher by agreement | Request a laboratory test tied to the identified sample or lot |
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| Crude fibre | max 13 % | Request a laboratory test tied to the identified sample or lot |
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| Origin | Indonesia; imported for sorting, quality control and re-export | Check the supplier record and lot identity |
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| Form | Whole dried flower buds | Match the identified sample to the written order |
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| Packaging | 20 kg lined carton; 25 kg option by quotation | Match the packing specification to the packing check |
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Reference values, not results for a specific lot; the agreed specification and your lot’s test decide.
Commercial details
- Botanical name
- Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry
- Origin
- Indonesia; imported for sorting, quality control and re-export
- Form
- Whole dried flower buds
- Typical uses
- Food · Beverage · Spice Blends · Processing
- Minimum order
- 500 kg
- Packaging
- 20 kg lined carton; 25 kg option by quotation
- Shelf life
- Confirmed for the offered product and packing
- Storage
- Store cool, dry and clean; protect from moisture and strong odours.
Buying adviceState the size grade (large or small buds), whole-bud rate, stem and foreign-matter limits, volatile oil, moisture, destination tests, packing and quantity.
AssessmentRecord whole-bud rate, stems, moisture, foreign matter, head condition and visible defects.
Sample recordSample reference and date, product photographs, inspection checklist and packing photographs.
Technical referencesISO 2254:2004 · GB/T 22300-2008 — current Chinese standard · GB/T 22300-2026 — effective 2026-11-01
How we grade this
Kun and Chuangui squeeze the head of a bud: good cloves release a little oil and smell strongly sweet, with mild spice. Then they check size. Large buds should be mostly over 1.5 cm with round, full heads, and a count of ten buds from several bags shows whether small, narrow-headed buds are mixed in. They look for a natural red-brown lustre and reject evenly bright, sour-smelling buds (sulphur), black and stale buds (old or scorched) and soft buds (damp).
Stems, broken buds, sand or salt can be layered in the middle of a bag, so they sample the middle and bottom too. Origin, Indonesian for our current supply, comes from import and batch records.
Frequently asked questions about Whole Cloves
Which producing country will my lot come from?
Indonesia. Cloves are imported for sorting, quality control and re-export; the producing country is declared for the offered lot with its import and batch records, and sorting or packing in China does not by itself establish Chinese origin.
Large buds or small buds?
They are size grades, not varieties. Large buds (1.5–2 cm) carry more oil and a sweeter, rounder aroma and sell 20–30% above small buds (1–1.5 cm), which suit powder and price-led use.
Why buy Indonesian cloves through China?
Buying at origin can be better for a full container of one grade. Through Yulin, you can combine cloves with other spices in one container, buy a smaller quantity, have them sorted to a size grade, and approve a sample before you commit. The origin stays Indonesian on the documents.
When are cloves harvested?
Indonesia picks mainly from July to October, with a smaller crop from February to April. Madagascar's main crop runs from September to December.
What are mother cloves?
The mature fruit of the clove tree rather than the flower bud. They are a separate, cheaper product and should not be in a whole-clove lot.
