Have you ever had to describe a wine at a dinner party? If you're an expert, you can probably line up a "it's round, warm, woody and tannic"without a hint of panic in your voice. But for most of us... it's total improvisation.
Well, it's a bit the same with perfumes: we try to describe them, but often we're not sure. So today, Bastille explains the basics of perfume tasting - and starts with olfactory families. Ready to get started?
A little history
Several perfume classifications were created in the 20th century, but the one we know today dates back to 1984 and was created by the Société Française des Parfumeurs (SFP). This classification can be debated today because today's perfumes are much more complex than at the time. It is therefore becoming more difficult to classify them correctly. That said, it is a very good starting point, and it includes 7 olfactory families.
A little clarification before you start, so that you can see clearly: an olfactory family, whatever it is, is recognised by a chord, a composition of several notes giving a particular smell. For example, the chypre family has a characteristic "humid forest" smell. This chord may contain notes that belong to other olfactory families: a chypre chord contains bergamot notes from the hesperidia family and rose notes from the floral family. In other words, an olfactory family is a composition of notes from here and elsewhere which, once assembled, allow the creation of these famous olfactory signatures. Do you follow? Well, having said that, here we go!
The 7 families game
The hesperidia family
Let's start with the easiest family to recognise: the hesperides, which simply designate citrus-based perfumes. The famous Eaux de Cologne, which use and abuse oranges, grapefruits, bergamots, lemons... Can you feel the freshness?
These citrus notes are usually found in the top notes of fragrances: they are volatile and ephemeral. They are therefore often the first impression you get of a fragrance. Poorly dosed, you find yourself smelling like lemonade... While well orchestrated, hesperides bring a sparkling opening, flight and a smile to a composition.
The floral family
The second family, which is also quite simple to recognise: Florals ! Floral fragrances are created on the theme of one or more flowers, whether natural or synthetically recreated. If your perfume smells mainly of flowers, if it evokes a beautiful bouquet or a spring garden, it is a floral. Easy, isn't it?
And to impress at your next dinner party, here are some facts that should leave your guests speechless. This olfactory family of florals gives free rein to many possibilities, as flowers give us very different notes depending on their species: animal, green, fruity, powdery or even solar facets, floral compositions can be very varied. From the soliflore (in other words, a perfume with a single floral dominant - another word to add to your perfumer's dictionary!) to the floral bouquet, the possibilities are numerous.
The fern family
We go to the family of ferns ! This one has nothing to do with the plants found in the forest, which by the way, do not smell much. It is named after a very famous accord, composed of lavender, geranium, woody notes - vetiver and oak moss - and coumarin. This accord was created in 1882 for a perfume called... Fougère Royale. A perfume that resolutely revolutionized men's perfumery with its fresh, aromatic and soft notes inspired by the smell of barber's soaps.
Originally very virile and very "hygienic", the fern family was quickly brought up to date. Today, fern fragrances are more modern, more nuanced and can even reveal fruity, powdery, leathery, even amber or musky facets... We grant you, recognising this accord is not an easy task: the best way to do this is to explore men's perfumery, you won't have any trouble finding it.
The chypre family
The Chyprés Their name is already an exotic programme. The chypre accord is not a single scent, but a composition of several notes. It is derived from the Chypre de Coty in 1917: this perfume is mainly based on woody notes of patchouli and oak moss, which can be recognised by their "humid forest" smell. This family also includes notes of : bergamot, rose, jasmine and cistus labdanum - which, like oakmoss, has been replaced by patchouli or synthetic equivalents, following the IFRA ban on the use of these materials.
The woodland family
In the family woodyfamily, I ask for vetiver! As its name suggests, the woody family includes fragrances with a woody smell. This family includes sandalwood, cedar, guaiac and of course vetiver. These woody notes concern fragrant woods but also leaves, plants or roots. For example, vetiver is an herb but its woody and sensual scent allows it to be classified in this olfactory family.
These rawmaterials constitute the "backbone" of the compositions. They are the foundation on which the other notes of a perfume are built. And although they have long been present in men's fragrances, don 't be swayed by the marketing: whether warm, bewitching or dry, woody fragrances are just as masculine as they are feminine.
The amber-oriental family
Shall we take a gourmet break? Here we are with the amber-oriental family. You know the sweet scent of amber, vanilla, powdery, slightly animalic notes: so you know the amber family, also called oriental. Warm, it is easy to recognize.
The amber-oriental notes that make up this family, which are found mainly in the base notes of a perfume, are composed ofa multitude of raw materials. Among the most famous are ambergris, vanilla and tonka bean. To these can be added balsams such as Peruvian balsam or benzoin with woody and vanilla notes, but also myrrh, incense, styrax, musk, opoponax or even certain well-known spices such as cinnamon or cloves... Raw materials that come straight out of the Arabian Nights.
The leather family
Last but not least : leathers ! Leathery notes go back to the origins of French perfumery. They echo the perfumed creations used by the glove makers and perfumers of Grasse to camouflage the smell of the tanning of their leather.
More difficult to smell and wear, leathers are the preserve of niche perfumeries and an already seasoned public. The aim is to reconstruct the smoky, animal and woody smell of leather while counterbalancing it with floral notes. To do this, there are several solutions: working with natural accords such as birch or tobacco, choosing synthetic or even animal notes - but as their use is highly regulated and even forbidden for civet and musk in particular, perfumers generally favour synthetic reproduction and the natural.
Okay, what next?
The theory is rather simple, but in practice, classifying perfumes is very complex! Fragrances have many different nuances and can even straddle two families. That's whythere are sub-families: spicy citrus, fruity woody, etc. But, let's be honest, that makes it even more complicated. So, if you want to shine at your next dinner party, stick to these main families: you'll already be making a big impression on your audience!
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Photos: Inconnus, Jules Theret
Source: SFP
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