Decoding Obscure Notes - A Series About the Building Blocks of Natural Perfumery

Part I: Vegetale Musks

Part II: Iris, Skin and Powder

Part III: Amber

Part IV: Violets - Purple or Green?

Part V: Chypre
The Mood of Chypre
The Magic of Chypre
What do Chypres Smell Like?
The Origins of Chypre
Members of the Chypre Family
The Dawn of Pink Chypres

Part VI: Leather

Part VII: Vetiver - Earthy? Woody? Green?

Part VIII: Tobacco
A. Tobacco Flower
B. Tobacco - Origins, History, Medicine & Curing
C. Perfuming Tobacco and Tobacco in Fragrance

Part IX: Agarwood
A. Precious Parasites
B. Religious Uses and Cultural Significance of Agarwood
C. Oud in Arabia & Perfumery
D. Jin-Koh in Japan
E. Medicinal Uses of Agarwood
Part X: Peculiar Mint (aka Patchouli)

Part XI: Sandalwood

Part XII: Mineral & Marine Notes

Part XIII: Tea & Perfume
Tea and Perfume: Time is of Essence
Tea and Perfume, Part II: Tea Notes
Flowering Teas
Herbal Tea Notes
Floral Tea Notes

Part XV: Lavender (vs. Lavandin)
Lavender Haze
Lavender Harvest 
Lavender Lineage 
Lavender Chemistry 
Lavender Summary 

Part XVI: Cedar
Arborvitae
Study in Cedar 

Part XVII: Lotus vs Waterlily
Lotus: A Thousand Petals of Transformation


Not Quite Obscure Building Blocks:
Flower of Flowers: Ylang Ylang
Pondering Citrus
Bitter Orange vs. Bergamot
the Bitter Orange Tree: Most Resourceful
Champaca Flower vs. Nag Champa Incense
Divine Flowers (Dianthus)  

Hyacinth (Vernal Equinox and Hyacinths)

Jasmine: Fragrant Stars 

Lavender Haze
Licorice Notes
Lily of the Valley
Lilac Structure
Lime vs. Linden Blossom
Madonna Lily
Magnolia 
Narcissus
Narcissus Absolute
Robinia pseudoacacia, aka False Acacia aka Black Locust
Rose (Unfolding the Hundred Petals of )
Osmanthus vs. Tea Olive
Sweet Peas
Tuberose (Intoxicating Flowers: Tuberose Demystified)

Coming soon:
Honeysuckle
Heliotrope
Gardenia
Wisteria
Peony