Notes from the Perfumery

Bitter amber tears; a 5 000 year old ingredient!

There are different philosophies to entering the new year (or rather, this new year–just one of several observed). There's an undeniable call to start anew, to better ourselves, and to consider January 1st a fresh start. Conversely, there are those who counter this notion, and remind us of Mother Nature's flux; that winter is a dormant time, the precursor to springtime's rebirth. 

Scent and aroma are often described using similar language. Both are composed of notes that can be described as high or low, and as anyone who’s wandered out of the department store wearing one too many complimentary perfume spritzes can attest, perfume is certainly as capable as music at creating discordance.

LIFTING THE VEIL OFF SPOOKY SCENTS   Happy Halloweek, dear reader.  Candy apples, sour gummies, sticky taffy and pumpkin spice—the gourmand, confectionary aromas of warm spices and Halloween treats are often at the (s)center of the season’s olfactory palette. But what of the smells for those who tire of saccharine smells; scents for the wicked, or perfumes of the departed? Let’s dig six feet deep into the strange world of spectral scents and diabolical miasmas. You may be aware of the term miasma, used to describe ‘an unpleasant, dirty mass of air’ or ‘a corrupting or oppressive atmosphere or feeling.’ (Oxford...