Fragrance Families

Fragrance Families...
There is no doubt that olfaction Just as we learn to give names The Fragrance Circle
is fundamentally a subjective to colors as children, we can also
sensory impression. “I like assign names to the various olfac- Located in the outer circle are the
lavender because it reminds me tory impressions. This produces above-mentioned fragrance fami-
of my grandmother’s dresser an olfactory language with an lies, at the center only one large
drawers. No, I don’t like laven- extensive vocabulary that can also group – that of the floral notes,
der because it always reminds be scientifically underpinned. which can be combined from the
me of having to stay after families in the outer circle. To a
school.” Is it possible to ob- As described above, molecules certain extent, the Fragrance Circle
jectively assess scents at all? with differing structures only fit corresponds to the structure of a
Is there an olfactory language on their intended receptors, thus perfume. A perfume consists of a
that rises above subjective evoking a wide variety of stimuli. top note, a heart note and a base
perceptions and memories? Molecules with similar structures note, and thus lives from the dif-
can be combined into olfactory ferent ways in which its fragrance
families, as shown in the Fragrance compounds evaporate. And both
Circle. evaporation as well as the olfac-
tory effect it triggers are governed
The Fragrance
The fragrance families that are of by the perfume’s chemical struc-
Circle importance in perfumery are ture – thus, related chemical struc-
Green
Citrus

grouped within the circle, tures also have related olfactory

us
Ald

while highly specific effects. Consequently, adjacent

eo

and unpleasant odors fragrance families are related to

eh

ac

Fr are located outside one another in terms of both their

uit
yd

rb

y-l y it. Smokey warns chemical structure and their olfac-

ic
e

He

igh sp against fire, sour tory characteristics. Nor were the

Fru t a l- against spoiled colors in which the fragrance fami-
ity- rb
dar Light Green He foods. As we lies are depicted selected merely
k near the center by chance. Consumers were asked
Sweet- Coniferous of the circle, to associate colors to their olfac-
aromatic Floral notes the fragrance tory impressions. The left side of
notes become the Fragrance Circle tends to con-
Woo more complex tain feminine colors –
mic dy
Balsa Heavy
and are appa-
rently perceived
as well as feminine
fragrance families
-
a tic Am as being increa- – while the
om y be
Ar spic
singly harmonious. right side
r
o

tends to
An
cc

oss

be mas-
Leather
ba

ima

culine.
Oakm
To

Hexylacetate
imparts the
fragrance
impression of
ripe pears.

14 H&R Scents
 “Green” smells
like freshly
mown grass.

So what are these families all related to the smell of human Herbal-spicy
about? skin and perspiration.Aldehyde The typical fragrance notes of
C10 offers citrus aspects, while such herbaceous kitchen herbs as
■ Top note: Aldehyde C11 undecylene thyme or mugwort. In addition to
produces an animalic effect and its herbaceous underlying scent,
Serves as the first impression of Aldehyde C12 Lauric a cool, there is also a pronouncedly unique-
a fragrance, is intended to arouse almost ozone-like note. spicy element, which produces an
curiosity and vanishes quickly. aromatic impression.
The families positioned in the upper Fruity-light
third of the circle are employed in Lively, light fruit fragrances, Coniferous
composing the top note. especially those from fruits with The fragrance note of whole or
green and yellow peels. This group crushed conifer needles or resins,
■ Heart note (bouquet): includes apple, pear, melon and which can also display citrusy,
Forms the actual fragrance character pineapple scents, for example. herbaceous or aromatic-spicy
of the perfume and lasts for hours. As we have already seen, citrus elements, in addition to its typi-
It usually consists of floral notes that fruits do not belong to this group. cally earthy note. Moreover,
can be accentuated with the adjacent Fragrance examples include hexyl these fragrances are more or less
families. acetate, which has a pear-like pronouncedly resinous and green.
scent, or melon bases. Pine needle oil is coniferous with
■ Base note: citrus-like accents, while fir balsam
Green tends to be aromatic-resinous
Serves as the foundation upon This group characterizes typical with sweet aspects.
which the perfume is based, is inten- botanical fragrance notes, like
ded to pleasantly underscore the those of leaves, stalks or freshly
fading scent, and can last up to a mown grass, as well as cucum-
day. It is composed from the fra- bery-violet-like green. Vertocitral
grance families positioned in the “Citrus” –
is reminiscent of leafy green, the fresh,
lower third of the circle. cis-hexenol of green grass, while invigorating
scent of citrus
nonadienol tends to be remini- fruits.
Top notes scent of violet and cucumber.

Citrus Herbaceaous
Fresh, invigorating scents of Fragrance notes from the plant
citrus fruit, like lemon, orange, kingdom that are closely related
bergamot or grapefruit. to green. More complex than the
actual green scents, herbaceous
Aldehyde fragrances are more aromatic,
Olfactory chain of the long-chain generally with camphorous,
fatty aldehydes. This is a typical, minty, eucalyptus-like or earthy
fatty-sweaty, somewhat pungent nuances. They are usually found
and soapy olfactory note. The on low-growing, unobtrusively
spectrum ranges from almondy- blossoming plants, i.e. herbs.
fruity green nuances to ironed Typical examples include rosemary
laundry fragrances and metallic or sage, as well as peppermint
nuances right through to ozone, and lavender, a fragrance that
ocean-like and waxy scents. Some is both herbaceous and floral at
of the aldehyde fragrances are once.
 Fragrance Families

Heart (bouquet) notes this group often contains pro-

nouncedly balsamic, spicy and
Fruity-dark animalic notes. There are also
This group includes the sweet, hybrid notes, like hyacinth, that
sultry fragrance notes that mainly tend to be floral-heavy, but also
influence the heart and base have clear green notes, as well
notes of perfume compositions as violet, which is very green but
and have high substantivity. can also be given a floral-woody
Examples include raspberry and interpretation.
peach.
Base notes
Floral notes
Floral notes usually form the Woody
heart of a perfume. They, too, This is a group of highly differing
can be classified into light, green, fragrances that are reminiscent
floral and heavy. “Light” includes of chipped wood. One of the
typical springtime flowers like differentiations that is made is
lily of the valley (Muguet), lilac, cedar, which smells like a pencil
freesia and light rose notes, often with a camphorous off-note.
with citrusy or fruity elements. Sandalwood tends to smell sultry,
Lilac is a floral note.
“Green” includes violet, for ex- warm and somewhat animalic.
ample, as well as other blossoms Vetiver has a pronouncedly earthy
in which a leafy note dominates root note. Patchouli also smells
but can often have herbaceous, earthy, but also sweet with fruity
earthy nuances. Narcotic floral nuances. nuance of seawater. The scent of
fragrances that are more often amber is somewhat reminiscent
found in southern climates than Amber of human hair. Natural amber
in more northerly regions are Fragrance notes that are similar consists of pathological secretions
considered “heavy.” These include, to natural amber. This olfactory of the sperm whale. Since this
first and foremost, jasmin, tube- note is difficult to describe: Oily- whale population has unfortu-
rose, orange blossom and narcis- woody with metallic elements, nately been decimated, true amber
sus. In addition to the floral note, but also slightly nutty with a is a rarity today and very expen-
sive. However there are imitations
that come quite close to the na-
tural note, such as amber Vites-
sence, as well as amber notes
of botanical origin, such as lab-
danum. The Ambre 83 base has
a very sweet amber note.

Animal
In addition to amber, there are
three further notes of animal
Sandalwood – origin that are still employed in
a representative
of the “Woody” perfumery today – although they
fragrance display the typical note of excre-
category.
ment, they offer an incomparable
erogenous rounding-off effect in
diluted form and in compositions.

16 H&R Scents
Musk was originally obtained Tobacco
from the olfactory glands of the Fragrance notes that are
musk deer that is native to Asia. inspired by all tobacco-
This tincture smells sweet and like notes, ranging from
urine-like, as well as somewhat aromatically sauced
medicinal. Genuine musk tincture pipe tobacco to cigar
is priceless today and is very rarely tobacco right
used. When speaking of musk through the smell
notes today, what is generally of a stale ashtray.
meant are aroma chemicals that Tobacco absolue
are largely reminiscent of this offers a typical
note, although they typically have scent.
a more powdery and significantly
less animalic scent. Civet absolue Aromatic-spicy
is obtained from the secretions of Invigorating aromatic spice
the olfactory glands of an African notes that can also contain
cat, the civet. As these animals are bitter and/or piquant ele-
captured to obtain the secretions, ments. Typical examples of “Tobacco” in
all of its facets
without causing them any harm, these fragrances include is an interesting
civet is still in very widespread cardamom, nutmeg, fragrance
use today as an animalic note. Its curry, clove and cinna- element.
scent is fecal-acidic with a slight mon.
honey note.
Balsamic
Leather Heavy, sweet, rich fragrances remembered that the first im-
The fragrance notes of genuine with chocolate-vanilla-like, cinna- pression of a perfume is produced
leather and Russian leather. This mon-like to resinous fragrance by the interplay between all of
term is interpreted very broadly. elements. These scents were al- the fragrance materials that are
The typical components of leather ready popular “Oriental” notes in employed in it – while leather, for
compositions include birch tar ancient times, such as Peru balm example, is a base note, it is
oil, for example. Isobutyl chino- or olibanum, i.e. frankincense. responsible producing the overall
line often serves as an important Nuances of this family can also character of the perfume, and is
leather element. The leather Vi- be found in many orchid notes. not just present in the after-scent.
tessence offers a clearly leathery The name is derived from the
smell. word “balsam,” which
is used to denote
Oakmoss certain kinds of resins.
This fragrance class refers to
extraction products of specific Sweet-aromatic
lichen – especially those that grow Pronouncedly sweet
on oak trees. The typical oakmoss fragrances that smell
note smells uniquely dry, algae- like honey, almond,
like, with a cheese-rind note and marzipan, anise or
a tar-like, phenolic element, in woodruff, e.g. cou-
addition to green nuances. Lichen marin, often with rich-
Cinnamon
that grow on other types of fruity or spicy nuances. is a typical
trees supply extraction products In Spite of the segmen- representative
(tree moss) that smell woodier tation in the Fragrance of invigorating
aromatic Spice
and more resinous. Circle, it should be notes.

H&R Scents 17