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

A Florentine perfumer, Lorenzo Villoresi, officially opened his house in 1990, with the line currently including 15 fragrances. Created in 1995, Garofano contains lavender, green notes, floral notes, carnation, jasmine, rose, vanilla, heliotrope and musk. However, my initial impression of Garofano was of bright orange slices of melon dripping with honeyed juices. Soon the melon vision fades and the red rose blossoms out of the heart followed by jasmine and carnation. The rose is rather strong at first however it softens considerably and soon peppery carnation paired with exotic lushness of jasmine starts to sparkle. It remains clear and true carnation without powderiness until it is joined in the base by vanillic and buttery sweetness. Carnation becomes thickly overlaid by decadent musky notes. Heavy richness of the base clouds the wonderful sting of carnation, which is what I loved about this fragrance the most. If this fragrance had color and voice, it would be bright orange-red, and it would sing “La Donna Mobile” aria from Rigoletto.

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

The fragrance attempts to capture the spicy bite of carnation and its sweetness by combining red pepper, cloves and rose, a fairly traditional ensemble. Unlike most carnation fragrances, Comme des Garçons Carnation lacks the characteristic powderiness, instead being heavy on a honeyed spicy chord, which takes the carnation warmth a notch too high. In fact, it is not too far from sweeping into the rose sweetness, without characteristic bite the carnation offers. Thus, if someone is looking for a true dianthus peppery warmth, Carnation is too sweet and too heavy on rose to be a decent representation.

Unlike many other floral notes, carnation lends strength and warmth to oriental and floral compositions without either compromising the delicacy of floral accords or rendering them too sentimental. Given the high cost of carnation absolute, I know of very few fragrances (JAR Golconda being among them) that employ the natural essence. Far more common are the carnation aromachemicals like eugenol, isoeugenol and eugenyl, among which eugenol and isoeugenol are considered to be allergenic.

There are times when perfume acts as a magic carpet for a travel in time, and then there are moments when research leads one into the dank archives of the past. Thanks to the passionate and generous work presented on Scented Pages, a website everybody with at least a passing interest in perfume needs to visit, I had a chance to discover a rich bibliography on all aspects of fragrance. From science and history to specific perfume houses, the website presents an impressive range of literature.

The exploration of the bibliography led to the discovery of several fascinating New York Times newspaper materials, which are available from the New York Times archives. Thus, an article from 1871 surmises that New Jersey might become the next Grasse. Another article from 1929 discusses the new perfume releases that would be appropriate as Christmas gifts. The article I pounced on immediately is titled The Twenty “Noses” of France, written by Donald William Dresden, 1947, because it is usually rare to see the perfumers in the spotlight.

I’ll note, however, that the article is irksome, even if I keep in mind the social context of the times. Here is one such illustration. “Only a few people have the supersense of smell necessary to become a Nose—for reasons known only to Noses themselves, no woman has ever had it—and still fewer the patience and emotional attitude to undergo the required training…” Clearly, Dresden forgot about Germaine Cellier of unforgettable Bandit (1944) and Vent Vert (1947). Moreover, research demonstrates that a woman’s sense of smell is more acute than a man’s, with its acuity positively influenced by the levels of estrogen, the levels of which change throughout the menstrual cycle, with the highest levels recorded in the first half (Nature Neuroscience, March 2002).

The rest of the article is such a riot that I almost forgave its chauvinism. I cannot help sharing some particularly memorable bits. You’d be interested to know that the Nose has certain characteristics, which the writer describes in the social Darwinist terms. “As befits his station, the typical Nose is an imposing looking man. Generally he is middle-aged with fine graying temples or just the right amount of baldness to indicate that he had made his way in life.” If one may wonder, Dresden assures that “the nasal formation is not unusual.” However, “he has lofty brow and features of the intellectual and an air of dedication verging on absent-mindedness.”

And how about this imagery? “Here in Grasse it is commonplace to see a parfumeur créateur pacing slowly under the plane trees in the courtyard of an old, rambling perfume factory, sniffing meditatively at one or more of these strips of paper. A deep concentration wrinkles his brow and his demeanor reminds one of a Wall Street banker studying the pros and cons of a big loan or of a diplomat weighing a delicate démarche.”

A reader may ask an obvious question, why are there only twenty Noses in France? The author explains that the amount of dedication and the inborn talent required weed out quite a few people. “For that reason they are only twenty Noses in France, and this world-famous perfume center is their natural habitat.” None of the names are mentioned, nor are their perfumes revealed, thus, we are left to guess as to the identity of any of these Noses, and appropriately so, given the air of mystery Dresden attempts to create.

The Twenty “Noses” of France by Donald William Dresden. New York Times, December 28, 1947, pg. SM10.

Picture: French vintage advertising poster for a shaving cream from 1922. It does not relate in any way to the topic of my article, however a flying clown with a sickle appeals to my idiosyncratic (and at times sophomoric) sense of humour.

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

As far as niche fragrance house go, JAR is shrouded in mystery. Perfume notes and even names of specific perfumes are not revealed. Perfumes are currently sold only at the tiny boutique in Paris at the price level well above the average perfume buyer. Even the visit to the boutique is not unlike most perfume shops. Stepping inside the elegant boutique ornamented with teardrop crystal bottle sets the stage for enacting a period piece. Or an olfactory tea ceremony–admire the folded chamois cloth, small the fragrance, think and repeat. When you are ready to try the fragrances on your skin, a handsome Hungarian gentleman applies them slowly on your wrists, massaging them with a glass stopper. Oh, do not get me wrong, the visit to the tiny dusty rose hued boutique is definitely worth it. And not only for the wrist massage!

JAR was established in 1977 by Joel Arthur Rosenthal (JAR), with his Swiss business partner, Pierre Jeannet. A talented New York-born, Paris-based jeweler is particularly known for his extraordinary pave creations, which break all established conventions. The fragrances themselves do not have a classical top, middle, base structure, with the accords melding, undulating and swelling in an unpredictable fashion.

Golconda was among the first fragrances created by Rosenthal himself, employing the costly and rare carnation absolute. Although, at first, it is a true sun drenched carnation, the semblance to any carnation soliflore vanishes quickly. In fact, it becomes more like a true fire engine red lily, impossibly hot from the August sun. A hint of cinnamon and nutmeg enliven the exhilaratingly potent floral structure. The composition is very sultry and rich, glittering like a handful of rubies, without losing either its luster or its tenacity, the latter deserving particular praise. A mere drop suffices to last for the entire day and into the next! It shimmers like a precious jewel, set against a rich velvet backdrop.

The tear drop bottle is made of Baccarat glass can be obtained at 14, Rue de Castiglione boutique in Paris. However, soon New York denizens would be able to visit the JAR boutique at Bergdorf Goodman.

Photo: ‘Wild roses’ brooches by JAR. Diamonds, yellow, pink and violet sapphires, yellow and pink tourmalines, citrines and orange garnets, silver and gold and enamel.

Dianthus is derived from Greek, meaning di, Zeus and anthos, flower, “the flower of Zeus,” indicating its importance in the religious context of Ancient Greece. In Italy, Bologna in particular, the plant has been associated with Saint Peter and celebrated widely, with a special day at the end of June dedicated to carnation. In the Middle Ages, it was one of the most popular flowers for fragrance gardens. No monastery herb garden would be complete without carnation, the medicinal uses of which were referenced as early as the Han Dynasty texts (23-206 A.D.). In European herbal medicine tradition, carnation flowers have been prescribed for the nervous and coronary disorders. However, its probably most interesting usage has been recorded in the late 1600s, when the Countess of Dorset, England, made her own love potion, including carnation, lavender, bay leaf and marjoram. It is rather ironic that the flower of the most licentious of all Greek gods is supposed to have powers to cure wayward lovers. Interesting to note is that carnation signified devotion and loyalty in a variety of traditions, from European to Asian.

I have always associated carnation with the Soviet holidays, especially November 7th and May 1st, celebrating Russian Revolution, the successful Bolshevik coup d’ état against the Provisional Government (also called October Revolution, as Russia used the Julian Calendar, in which November 7th corresponded to October 25th) and the Soviet workers, respectively. Neither would be complete without some dreaded parade, after which we, young pioneers, would have to give red carnations to the various party functionaries present. Moreover, Krasnaya Moskva (Red Moscow), a rich carnation-based fragrance, was used liberally and widely, due to the fact that hardly much else was available. Therefore, for the longest time, carnation was associated with my Russian language and literature teacher, who would call me “a vestige of aristocracy,” because I exhibited an anti-working class spirit by refusing to attend the young pioneer choir practice and to collect paper and iron objects for our school (to heaven knows what purpose). I suppose that now these memories are heavily tinged with nostalgia for me, because I hardly mind the scent of carnation anymore, which is also a scent of my great grandmother’s garden, where I spent many summers of my childhood.

The flower, native to the Mediterranean region and India, has been at the height of its popularity in France of Louis XIV reign, when it was selected as a flower of the court. In the 19th century, carnation (dianthus) lovers formed clubs, and although carnation fever never reached the level of tulip obsession, the flower had many devotees. In fragrances, the same tradition can be observed, with the classical compositions featuring carnation in a variety of ways, particularly to add a peppery warth to the floral compositions. However, the modern treatment of carnation has been to deem it old-fashioned and trite. Yet, the solitary flowers, with the corolla of dark red fringed petals have an intense spicy smell that lends itself wonderfully to oriental blends. Combined with rose, it lends a spicy note that adds complexity to the sweet rich glow of rose.

Essential oil is present in the small amount in petals of the carnation variety, which is called “clove pinks,” hinting at the similarity between the smell of carnation and clove. In Russian, carnation and clove, although unrelated species, are bound by etymological ties. “Gvozdika”, with the root “gvozd’” referencing the nail-like shape of the spice clove, is the common name for both the flower and the spice. Both are rich in eugenol, which gives carnations and cloves their characteristic sweet heavy scent.

Produced mostly in France and Holland, carnation absolute is rare, with a heavy, spicy floral aroma tinged by sweet dark honey notes. It is a blend of clove, black pepper and exotic sweetness of ylang ylang, which incidentally are often used to reproduce carnation scents. Absolute is a greenish jelly like substance. 500kg of flowers are required to produce 100g of oil. In perfumery, it is common to employ synthetic substances like eugenol, isoeugenol and eugenyl acetate to accentuate floral character and to lend clove and carnation like scent.

Carnation solifores: Caron Bellodgia, Floris Malmaison, Lorenzo Villoresi Garofano, Comme des Garcons Carnation, JAR Parfums Golconda, L’Artisan Parfumeur Oeillet Sauvage.

Classical perfumes containing carnation: Caron Poivre and its EDT version Coup de Fouet, Caron En Avion, Caron Or et Noir, Caron Tabac Blond, Caron Fleurs de Rocaille (1933), Guerlain Après l’Ondée, Guerlain L’Heure Bleue, Je Reviens by Worth, Givenchy L’Interdit (original), Nina Ricci L’Air Du Temps, Schiaparelli Schocking, Estée Lauder Youth Dew, Robert Piguet Bandit, Dior Dioressence.

Modern perfumes containing carnation: Yves Saint Laurent Opium, Guerlain Vétiver, Maître Parfumeur et Gantier Soie Rouge, Carthusia Fiori di Capri, Mon Classique by Pascal Morabito, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Red Door by Elizabeth Arden, Gucci No. 1, Boucheron Jaïpur Homme, Cartier Must II, Yves Saint Laurent Jazz, Molyneux Quartz, Hermès Bel Ami, Fendi Theorema, Estée Lauder Cinnabar, Estée Lauder White Linen, Estée Lauder Estée, Estée Lauder Spellbound, Guerlain Samsara, Balenciaga Cristobal, Gaultier Fragile, Dior Jules, Dior Fahrenheit, Gucci Envy for Men, Lanvin Lanvin for Men, Bvlgari Bvlgari for Men.

Bibliography: Bown, D. 1996. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London; Morris, Edwin T. 1984. Fragrance: The Story of Perfume from Cleopatra to Chanel. E.T. Morris and Co., New York, 233.