Carried on the warm breezes of a sultry tropic night, the scent of kretek - Indonesia's indigenous clove cigarette - is the aromatic soul of a nation, the fragrant embodiment of all things Indonesian. Bringing together tobacco from the New World and spices from the Old, kretek is a product of extraordinary historical circumstances, but its home is Indonesia, where the lingering traces of its distinctive aroma are an ever-present part of everyday life.
Featuring a magnificent selection of specially-commissioned photographs and an equally fascinating collection of rare maps, paintings, prints and other archival images, Kretek: The Culture and Heritage of Indonesia's Clove Cigarettes tells the remarkable story of kretek from its origins as a remedy for asthma to its ascendancy as a cultural icon.
