<Page>
                                                                  Exhibit 23

                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Annual Report (Form 10-K)
of McCormick & Company, Incorporated and subsidiaries of our report dated
January 22, 2002 included in the 2001 Annual Report to Shareholders of McCormick
& Company, Incorporated.

Our audits also included the financial statement schedule of McCormick &
Company, Incorporated and subsidiaries listed in Item 14(a). This schedule is
the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express
an opinion based on our audits. In our opinion, the financial statement schedule
referred to above, when considered in relation to the basic financial statements
taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects the information set
forth therein.

We also consent to the incorporation by reference in the following Registration
Statements of McCormick & Company, Incorporated and subsidiaries and in the
related Prospectuses (if applicable) of our report dated January 22, 2002, with
respect to the consolidated financial statements of McCormick & Company,
Incorporated and subsidiaries included in the 2001 Annual Report to Shareholders
and incorporated by reference in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year
ended November 30, 2001, and our report included in the preceding paragraph with
respect to the financial statement schedule included in this Annual Report (Form
10-K) of McCormick & Company, Incorporated.

<Table>
<Caption>

                     Form              Registration Number            Date Filed
                ---------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                            
                      S-8                   333-57590                 03/26/2001
                     S-3/A                  333-46490                  1/23/2001
                      S-8                   333-93231                 12/21/1999
                      S-8                   333-74963                  3/24/1999
                      S-3                   333-47611                  3/9/1998
                      S-8                   333-23727                  3/21/1997
                      S-3                    33-66614                  7/27/1993
                      S-3                    33-40920                  5/29/1991
                      S-8                    33-33274                  3/2/1990
                      S-3                    33-32712                 12/21/1989
                      S-3                    33-24660                  3/16/1989
                      S-3                    33-24659                  9/15/1988
                      S-8                    33-24658                  9/15/1988
</Table>


                                                          /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Baltimore, Maryland
February 19, 2002