News: 533 posts

Hope that all of my friends are well. I’ll start with the bad, although not at all surprising, news. The Ukrainian Scent and Taste Adventure is cancelled, or rather postponed until further notice. I’m disappointed, but the situation is what it is. The most important thing is for us to stay healthy and safe. The good news is that I’ve been exploring making videos, and I’ve decided to make a series of short 1-3 minutes films about different aspects of Ukrainian culture such as folk arts, traditions, cultural idiosyncrasies, and customs. I will, of course, cover perfumery, and my first clip, Smelling Tips, will teach you professional perfumery smelling techniques that will maximize your olfactory impressions and sharpen your sense of smell. In the next film, I will explain how to put what you’re smelling into words.

Exercising your sense of smell is not only satisfying and fun, but also important, since doctors and researchers indicate that the loss of smell and taste might be one of the first signs of the coronavirus infection, appearing long before any other symptoms. Moreover, smelling is a complex activity for our brain, so doing it consciously ensures we maximize the potential of the amazing apparatus we have on our faces. Let us not take it for granted (yes, I know, I’m preaching to the choir here.)

The films will appear on Bois de Jasmin YouTube Channel.

I’m considering other topics, such as languages and books, so if you have a specific request, please let me know.

Photography by Bois de Jasmin

CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19

Please join us on an exciting adventure in the beautiful region of Transcarpathia. Located in western Ukraine, Transcarpathia is famous for its mountains, wild flowers, artisanal crafts and food, and it will be the next venue for the Bois de Jasmin perfumery course.

Over 8 days, you will learn the basics of perfumery and perfume creation and how to hone your sense of smell, but you will also be immersed in Ukrainian flavors and scents.

We will travel from the capital city of Kiev all the way west to the historical city of Lviv, and along our journey we will cook, eat, smell, have fun and discover Ukraine’s many treasures, from UNESCO heritage sites to smoked pears!

And the best part is that you will be visiting Ukraine in June, the best season to experience its aromas, colors and tastes. You’ll understand Nikolai Gogol’s raptures over this season—“how luxuriously warm the hours when mid-day glitters in stillness and sultry heat…”–and why Ukraine for me is the place of eternal summer.

I’m partnering with Nataliya Cummings of the Experience Ukraine tour company. Nataliya, who is based in the UK, has been organizing highly sought after tours around the country for over a decade, and I’m thrilled about our joint project. We will show you the best of what Ukraine has to offer, while allowing you to combine your discoveries with perfumery workshops.

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I’m partnering with Silvia Yonkova of Roseoverdose, to teach a rose accords workshop during the Rose Retreat of 2019. 50% of the roses grown for perfumery come from the Rose Valley in Kazanlak, Bulgaria, and Silvia’s family has been in the rose growing business for generations. During the Rose Retreat, you’ll have a chance to participate in the rose harvest and study different types of roses. My one-day workshop will cover some of the most iconic rose perfumes and teach you to create fragrance accords.

The Rose Retreat will take place on May 20th-24th, 2019. You can find more information and book a spot via Roseoverdose.com.

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The perfumery conservatory in Versailles, the Osmothèque, is not only an institution to maintain a record of perfumery, but also an educational center. From time to time they offer courses as well as coffrets of raw materials for purchase. This fall, the Osmothèque offers a new set that includes 21 ingredients from the perfumer’s palette, natural and synthetic. Each bottle contains 4,7 ml, and also included are blotters and descriptions. The cost is 60 €.

The materials featured are the essential oils of cardamom, Virginia cedarwood, lemon, clove, galbanum, lavender, patchouli, petitgrain, vetiver, and ylang ylang. Jasmine, rose, tonka bean and blackcurrant buds absolutes are likewise included. Then, there are synthetic materials like benzyl acetate, CIS-3 acetate, hexenyl, aldehyde C18, calone, citronellol, galaxolide, and ionone alpha.

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If you could smell one perfume in its original formula, what would you pick? For me, it would be a tie between Coty Jasmin de Corse and Guerlain Après L’Ondée extrait de parfum. Well, it might be possible. On Saturday September 15, 2018, 10am-5pm, the Osmothèque will open its doors to all vintage perfume lovers. Located in Versailles, the International Conservatory of Perfume has the largest collection of rare and long vanished fragrances recreated according to the original formulas. To date, the Osmothèque holds around 4000 perfumes, of which 800 are no longer available commercially. My beloved Jasmin de Corse is part of its archives.

The Osmothèque event is part of European Heritage Days, and visitors will have a chance to meet the perfumers, smell rare fragrances, raw materials and learn about the art of perfume creation. Each visit takes around 1.5 hours. A donation of 1 € is appreciated.

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