Taking note of the scents that inspire us

On a morning hike in June you may come across a simple looking evergreen bush with scent that is anything but simple. Myrtle.

The appreciation of this plant, in all its parts, is not news. Since ancient times myrtle (Myrtus communis) has been used, especially the leaves and fruit, for everything in the kitchen from seasoning meats and wrapping fresh mozzarella, to making liquors and for natural botanical remedies to treat respiratory ailments or skin treatments. But let’s talk about the scent.

There’s a lot going on here. The fanciful, star-shaped flowers with their outreached stamens emit an intense fragrance that is beautifully complex. The airy, sweet pollen notes are lifted and sustained by the toasty allspice (a berry of the same family), sweet birch root, and resinous camphor. The hit of the clove-like note from the allspice is reminiscent of carnation if carnation had a much more interesting cousin.

Then there’s the leaves. Fresh, green, herbal with the likes of sage, basil, tomato stem, and even citrus with only hints of the darker resinous camphor notes that the potent liquor, and even essential oil, is known for.

I am not saying this is my favorite scent – too many to be seduced by – but here is a complete perfume served up in one little pinch of botanical. From the fresh top notes to the dark base, and all those warm, spicy notes in the middle, there is nothing missing.
Bottle it and call it a day!