“To err is human. To loaf is Parisian,” said one of most illustrious writers of the 19th century Victor Hugo. I cannot say that loafing was a part of my Paris visit, although I tried to make time for it nevertheless. Loafing in Paris is synonymous for me with the walks down rue de Grenelle, one of my favorite streets in Paris for its quiet and gentle charm (and also for its numerous perfume and shoe boutiques.) The typically Parisian scent of black coffee and cigarettes felt intoxicating. The pale grey outlines of the buildings bathed in the sheer golden glow of the unusually warm winter sun attained a dreamlike character. Whatever fragrance I carried on the sleeve of my coat— Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, Frédéric Malle L’Eau d’Hiver, Etat Libre d’Orange Jasmin et Cigarette—it was perfectly in sync with both my mood and the atmosphere in the city. It was just magical, and even now, this feeling combining serenity and excitement is almost palpable.

I will certainly share more details on what transpired during my trip, especially since a short article will hardly do justice to all of the amazing encounters with the perfumers whose work I have always admired as well as the fragrant discoveries that took place over the past week. It is difficult to pick the main highlight of the trip; however, the visit to the Osmothèque was unforgettable. I went there with Michael Edwards, whose erudition and passion for fragrance enhanced the experience even more.

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The writer Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin once said, “Smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and chimney is the nose.” I first heard this quote from Michelle Krell Kydd, who puts this philosophy into her deeds. Michelle organized the James Beard Foundation event with chef Bill Yosses and perfumer Christophe Laudamiel, during which the relationship between flavor and fragrance were explored in depth. As Michelle reflects, “Smell and taste hit us where we live—in memory and emotion, in the past and in the present, all simultaneously. This is what makes these particular senses so powerful.” Given the close link between the two senses, the discoveries one makes into the realm of cuisine translate into olfactory appreciation and vice versa. As an example from my own experiences, the beautiful note of bitter chocolate woven into Serge Lutens’s Borneo 1834 prompted me to create a cake that allowed the bitterness of chocolate to stand out. Similarly, a Thai basil stir-fry with bean sprouts had me craving a scent that pairs the lemony clove verdancy of this fascinating herb with vegetal musk. One passion never fails to feed another. …

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“The Artisan Natural Perfumers Guild has named December Natural Perfume Month in recognition of the growing interest in natural fragrances. The first naturally-perfumed gifts associated with the month of December were those given in Bethlehem of frankincense and myrrh.” For more information please check the Artisan Natural Perfumers Guild website. (from press release.)

Marian Bendeth, the founder of Sixth Scents, is a fragrance expert and consultant based in Toronto, Canada. Before I met Marian, I had read plenty of articles in which she was described as a magician of scent, as someone who was able to nail a person’s personality based on their favorite fragrances. When Marian and I spoke on the phone for the first time and she described me down to my idiosyncrasies based on a selection of my beloved perfumes, I was speechless. Marian’s extensive experience fuels her research on the relationship between fragrance preferences and personality, the emotional effects of perfume and the influence of body chemistry, thus allowing her to offer fascinating insights on all aspects of fragrance. She has also worked with some of the most renowned perfumers and perfume industry professionals on countless perfume projects and has written for a variety of Canadian and online publications. It is a great pleasure to welcome Marian’s contribution to Bois de Jasmin, in which she explores the pros and cons of the signature scent concept.

“It’s my signature scent!!”
By Marian Bendeth …

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Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

The trend of bespoke perfumery which has been growing steadily over the past few years has never interested me much. After all, almost the entire classical Guerlain line feels as if it were custom made to reflect my taste, from the bittersweet beauty of Après l’Ondée to the windswept elegance of Sous Le Vent. Yet, if I were to name my ideal fragrance, it would be Hermès Doblis. Its soft and gilded presence is always perfect, notwithstanding my mood or the occasion for which it can be worn. The harmony of the composition is almost mesmerizing. From the camomile accented aldehydic top notes that brush like warm sand against the skin to the supple leather base, Doblis never loses its luminousity. If it were music, Doblis would be Beethoven’s Cello Suites. If it were a painting, Doblis would be Raphael’s Fornarina. …

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