THE natural world has been an inspiration for perfumers. Here is the Glass selection of our latest favourite olfractory natural highs.
Maître Parfumeur et Gantier, Patchouli 1969
The aromatic herb patchouli is central to this rich incense-like fragrance from French niche house Maître Parfumeur et Gantier aimed to evoke the hippy sixties which it does with panache. With notes of cardamom, patchouli, petit grain bigarade a heart of patchouli, jasmine, rose, elemi and base of sandalwood, musks and vanilla.
£142 EDP, 100ml
D. S. & Durga, Debaser
The Pixies’ song Debaser is the inspiration for this scent, which smells deliciously like crunched up fresh fig leaves. Natural inspiration comes from notes of bergamot, green leaf, pear stem and a heart of fig, coconut milk, iris blond woods with Tonka bean and moss at the base.
£220, EDP, 100ml
Floris, Vert Fougère
A reinterpretation of the fougère (“ferny”) fragrance family by the London-based Floris in-house perfumer Nicola Pozzani combines a fresh bright citrus with compelling darker undertones. With top notes of galbanum, grapefruit, bergamot galbanum, grapefruit, bergamot; a heart of neroli, lavender, ginger and base notes of cashmere and cedarwood, amber, patchouli and a smoke accord.
£120, EDP, 100ml
Goldfield & Banks, Blue Cypress
The exciting up-and-coming Goldfield & Banks collections explore the botanical riches of their vast home nation – Australia. This new EDP, Blue Cypress evokes the incense-pervaded mist that rises in the morning in the forests of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. With hints of Bulgarian lavender, Indian star anise, Australian eucalyptus; base: Indonesian clove and Australian blue cypress.
£135, EDP, 100ml
Prosody London, Jacinth Jonquil
I discovered this lovely botanical-based range at the Indie Beauty Expo in London recently. It is hard to choose a favourite from this perfectly composed collection. I am drawn to Jacinth Jonquil which soft, warm and rich with top notes of bergamot, hyacinth, petitgrain; a heart of jasmine, ylang ylang and clove leaf; and a base formed by apricot, gurjun balsam and frankincense.
£135, EDP, 50ml
Vilhelm Parfumerie, Peony Couture
The latest from the cool Swedish-by-way-of-New-York brand Vilhelm Parfumerie, made in collaboration with Liberty London, Peony Couture is an ode to the bloom and a luxurious, lush and languid delight. Composed of black pepper, aniseed, French peony, Turkish rose absolute incense and wild cedarwood.
£165, EDP, 100ml
Buly 1803: L’Officine Universelle, Eau Triple Venus De Milo
In a unique project in collaboration with Le Louvre, the storied French scent and skincare company Buly 1803 has invited leading perfumers to create a range inspired by the precious artworks there. Perfumer Jean-Christophe Hérault has made the feminine and cooling Eau Triple Venus De Milo. With ingredients of jasmine sambac absolute, tuberose absolute and gardenia and mandarin.
£130, EDP, 100 ml
Love Mimosa, Amouage
From Amouage’s Secret Garden collection (most appropriate) comes the new scent Love Mimosa which is created as an “homage to female empowerment”. Gentle with a kick, it has accents of cascalone, mimosa, orris, heliotrope pear and ylang ylang.
£290, 100ml, EDP
By Caroline Simpson