Taking note of the scents that inspire us

Winter season scents. Fresh and clean. A perfect way to describe one of our most loved evergreens, Juniper (Juniperus Communis). This tall shrub produces wonderful essential oils from its needles and its cones (aka, “berries”).

The blue-green needles give off a fresh, piney scent with balsamic nuances. The green notes don’t hit you over the head with “Christmas tree” like some other coniferous trees may, such as spruce or pine. Instead, it is more subtle, less solvent-y. The needles are also softer so go ahead and crush them to get the pure scent. More sensitive noses may get a lemony note as well as it contains the same limonene aroma compound as citrus does.

Juniper “berries” are formed by tightly closed scales of a seed cone that turn from green to blue to deep purple as they mature in clusters. They have a stronger scent when they are less ripe and have been used as natural remedies or, more commonly, when fully ripe and/or dried as a culinary spice in many cultures. The ancient Romans even used it as a less expensive spice alternative to black pepper. Famously, though, the berries are used to flavor gin and is the scent association that is the most immediately recognizable.

The winter season wouldn’t be complete without the family of conifers that find their way into our holiday decorations, not to mention maintaining some sort of life in the hills and mountains during the vegetation slumber months. And if you’re the drinking type, I recommend a splash of your favorite gin in Campari to further explore the wonderful attributes of juniper and brave the cold! Or, better yet, try our c’i’aan eau de parfum to experience how we’ve layered natural Juniper CO2 extract into our popular Alaska-inspired fragrance.