One of the most intriguing aromas, that of roasted coffee beans, can be elusive. Anyone who has swooned over the perfume of freshly ground coffee– sweet, bitter, spicy, floral, toasted, with hints of blackcurrants, chocolate or hazelnuts—knows the frustration of capturing all of those beautiful nuances in an infusion. Coffee aficionados have challenges in brewing a perfect cup, but the task of perfumers to bottle the fragrance of Arabica is not easier.  A coffee note is capricious, and while the natural essence, coffee absolute, has an addictive aroma on paper, on skin it can resemble roasted meat and damp wood.

The solution is to approach coffee notes creatively. Instead of mimicking nature, a perfumer instead might fashion a blend that hints at coffee’s pleasing bitterness and heady richness. Such is Arquiste’s Nanban. The composition uses a plush backdrop of woods to frame the smoky, spicy notes of myrrh and incense, with an accent of coffee to lend the composition a dark, delicious twist. It teases with its smoky, nutty warmth, but it keeps its presence mellow behind layers of sandalwood and leather.

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‘This is a tree of life.’ Pani Olga’s fingers traced the embroidery on a rushnyk depicting a fantastical plant. From its branches sprouted opulent blossoms. ‘It means that the embroiderer dreamed of a long life and a big family.’

‘This is Beregynya, a safe keeper.’ Pani Olga drew my attention to a figure, ample of hip and bosom, holding branches laden with grapes and flowers. ‘It was embroidered by someone to protect a loved one from harm.’ The image had none of the Orthodox sobriety and harkened back to the old animistic religion of the Slavs, who worshipped the spirits of plants, animals, birds and rocks.

From The Rooster House

A simple piece of cloth can hold a wealth of meaning. Rushnyk (plural: rushnyky) is a traditional Ukrainian ritual cloth, intricately adorned with symbolic patterns and motifs. Although at its most basic, a rushnyk is a hand towel, the word evokes much more to a Ukrainian. These cloths hold significant cultural and spiritual value in Ukrainian heritage, representing a blend of art, tradition, and identity. During much of Ukraine’s history, when expressing thoughts freely had dangerous consequences, a rushnyk served as a repository of encoded messages. It could be a declaration of love, celebration of freedom or of a yearning for escape.

Reading these secret messages in the embroideries on rushnyky became my obsession during my trips to Ukraine. I had a wonderful teacher and a partner on this quest, a lady I met at our local church in Poltava. Pani Olga plays an important role in my book The Rooster House, especially because of her knowledge about rushnyky and traditional arts. Thread by thread I unraveled the family mystery and became an avid lover of rushnyky embroideries.

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Russian rockets struck our village the other day. It was a beautiful early summer day in June and people were outside working in their gardens. Our village in the Poltava region of central Ukraine has been unscathed so far. The rocket sounded like an airplane, and by the time everyone released what it really was, it was too late. The sound deepened, shrill and terrifying. Then came the blast.

The house that we always called “the house beyond the river” was hit and our neighbor who lived there was killed. She didn’t have time to escape before the roof collapsed on her. Her family was weeding the garden, while she was cooking. She was in her forties and was working as a nurse in our small clinic.

My grandmother’s house was not touched, but the windows cracked because of the force of the blast. My cousin is safe.

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My travels in Pakistan started in Sindh, the third-largest province of the country. The ancient Persians referred to the land east of the river Indus as hind and the word Sindh was their variation on the Sanskrit, Sindhu, meaning ‘river.’ Wherever you are in Sindh, you’re conscious of the great river that still defines the place, its geography and mindset. I would follow the Indus throughout Sindh, and when I finally deviated from its course, I missed the river and its mighty presence. It cast its spell on me as surely as it did on Alexander the Great who conquered Sindh in 325 BCE and referred to the river as Indós.

I miss many things from Sindh besides the river: the friendly disposition of its people, the stunning historical sites that make ancient Greek ruins seem modern, the bejeweled shrines, the sandstone temples. I also missed Sindhi flavors, the unique combination that reminded me more of refined Persian cuisine than the earthy flavors of the neighboring Punjab.

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Bois de Jasmin new class schedule is now available for late June and early July. This will be the last session before my summer vacation. The new online schedule include 4 new classes on Vetiver, Balsamic Notes, Musk and Japanese Incense. We will decode these fundamental perfume materials and analyze fragrances that use them. I will give you different smelling exercises to learn nuances of these aromas and guide you on selecting perfumes that use them to the best advantage. The topic of Japanese incense is something I feel passionate about, and I look forward to initiating you to this rich, vibrant world. We will also learn about Jasmine, Tuberose and Incense.

Those who will visit me in my Brussels studio will have a chance to smell through the iconic fragrances of the 20th century in their original compositions. This session also includes a class on Rose–we will smell legendary rose perfumes, rose materials that I have sourced from all over the world and learn to make a rose accord.

The class size is small to ensure that everyone gets attention and a chance to interact. The class is run as a lecture interspersed with guided smelling exercises. My style of teaching is personal and interactive. You will have a chance to ask question throughout the class and there will also be an allotted time at the end for your questions on any fragrance-related topics. These classes are for students of all levels of interest in perfumery.

To register for the online courses, please go to the Online Perfume Classes page or take a look below:

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Jasmine
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: June 22nd, Saturday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now / $60 Book Now

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Tuberose
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: June 23rd, Sunday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now / $60 Book Now

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Incense
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: June 29th, Saturday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now / $60 Book Now

3-Class Package: Jasmine, Tuberose, Incense
Price: €155 Book Now / $168 Book Now

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Vetiver
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: July 6th, Saturday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now / $60 Book Now

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Balsamic Notes
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: July 10th, Wednesday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now / $60 Book Now

Perfume Fundamentals Online: Musk
Location: Online, Zoom
Date: July 13th, Saturday, 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now / $60 Book Now

3-Class Package: Vetiver, Balsams, Musk
Price: €155 Book Now / $168 Book Now

Perfume Seminar Online: Japanese Incense

A seminar that delves deep into the fascinating story of Japanese incense. I will also share my favorite brands of Japanese incense and links to the online stores where they can be purchased.

Location: Online, Zoom
Date: July 14th, Sunday 12:00pm-1:30pm EST/6:00pm-7:30pm CET
Price: €55 Book Now / $60 Book Now

Brussels Studio Classes

We will explore perfume materials, rare fragrances, talk about history and legendary creators who made our favorite perfumes. Together we will learn the evolution of perfume history by studying some of the most iconic examples of the perfumery art in their original formulations. You will also perform exercises to sharpen their sense of smell. Some of the workshops include creating your own perfume accord.

Perfume Workshop (Brussels Studio): Vintage Perfumes and Stories

This seminar will give you a rare chance to smell legendary perfumes in their original formulations. You will have access to my perfume collection and try iconic fragrances from Caron, Guerlain, Coty and Chanel. You will also explore some of the best materials used by fragrance industry professionals and discover why your nose is more sensitive than the most sophisticated machine.

Class location: Brussels
Class duration: 2.5 hours
200€/per person   (50€ to be paid as a reservation deposit, the rest is payable in person on the day of the class)

Date: June 16th, Sunday, 12-2:30pm SOLD OUT

Date: June 23rd, Sunday, 12-2:30pm Reserve Now

Date: July 7th, Sunday, 12-2:30pm Reserve Now

Perfume Workshop (Brussels Studio): Rose
We will smell natural and synthetic rose materials, vintage and modern fragrances that use rose. I will then show you how a classical rose accord is constructed. You will have a chance to create your own rose composition.

Class location: Brussels
Class duration: 2.5 hours
200€/per person   (50€ to be paid as a reservation deposit, the rest is payable in person on the day of the class)

Date: June 30th, Sunday, 12-2:30pm Reserve Now

Date: July 14th, Sunday, 12-2:30pm Reserve Now

To request another date, please  email me.

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