New Series: Absinthe, Anise and Wormwood

Our new Series takes you into the realm of the forbidden and the bohemian, the realm of the "green fairy that lives in the absinthe" and all the terrors and fascinations she produces in art and perfumery. Perfume Shrine has already tentatively shown a glimpse of its bittersweet, mind-altering magic through a music video by Nine Inch Nails a few days ago, which consolidated the idea of devoting a series to Absinthe and the herbs that aromatize it.
To do that, as usual, we take the long road to explore matters in depth.

Absinthe or "devil in a bottle" is a distilled, anise-flavored, high-proof spirit produced by distilling anise, wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and various herbs (mainly florence fennel, as well as melissa, hyssop, petite wormwood or artemisia pontica, and angelica root). Its name derives from the Greek αψίνθιον, which is the name of wormwood, but is also interestingly tied etymologically to the Greek goddess of the hunt and the forests, Artemis.
In tracing the historical roots, one comes upon the medical use of wormwood in ancient Egypt (mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, circa 1550 BC).
Hyssop, a usual ingredient in absinthe, is also referenced in the Bible: "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow". (Psalms 51:7) There is however the hypothesis that the hyssop mentioned, used in bunches for purificatory rites and ritual cleansing of lepers by the ancient Hebrews, is probably not hyssopus officinalis used in the spirit, but a similar plant, capparis spirosa.
There are references to wormwood/la'anah as well: Deuteronomy 29:18; Proverbs 5:4; Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15; Lamentations 3:15, Lamentations 3:19; Amos 5:7; Amos 6:12 as well as the mention of "apsinthos" in Revelation 8:11.

What the Hebrew la'anah may have been is obscure; it is clear it was a bitter substance and it is usually associated with "gall"; in the Septuagint it is variously translated, but never by apsinthos, "wormwood." Nevertheless all ancient tradition supports the English Versions of the Bible translation. The genus Artemisia (Natural Order Compositae), "wormwood," has five species of shrubs or herbs found in Palestine (Post), any one of which may furnish a bitter taste. The name is derived from the property of many species acting as anthelmintics, while other varieties are used in the manufacture of absinthe.

~E. W. G. Masterman, International Stnadard Bible Encyclopedia (Bibletools.org)

Wormwood extracts were definitely employed by the ancient Greeks, who also consumed a wormwood-flavored wine, called absinthites oinos. The latter can be tied to Dionysus, for whom people masqueraded in an ecstatic frenzy during the god's celebrations in early spring. Anise plays an important role in Greek culture even to this day, through the similar preparation for ouzo: an anisic spirit into which water or ice is added producing a cloudy effect and "opening up" the bouquet of herbs.

Absinthe spirit originated in Switzerland, by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire, a French doctor living in Couvet in the 1790s, but it mostly became popular in France. Major Dubied acquired the formula from the Henriot sisters and in 1797, with son Marcellin and son-in-law Henry-Louis Pernod, opened the first absinthe distillery, Dubied Père et Fils. In 1805 a second distillery was built outside Switzerland, in Pontarlier, France, named Maison Pernod Fils. Absinthe's popularity largely ended with a ban in France in 1915, due to its neurotoxic properties that earned it the reputation of a psychoactive drug due to the chemical thujone, a strong heart stimulant present in small quantities in commercial absinthe. However no evidence exists that it is more harmful than ordinary liquer. Absinthe has known a resurgence in the 1990s, when countries in the European Union began to reauthorize its manufacture and sale resulting in over 200 brands circulating, although it is still controversial in the USA.

Although the absinthe distillate can be bottled clear, to produce a Blanche or la Bleue absinthe, the traditional colour has always been green, due to the chlorophyll in the herbal constituents in secondary maceration. Bohemian-style (alternatively known as Czech-style or anise-free absinthe), or just absinth (with no final e) is really wormwood bitters, produced mainly in the Czech Republic and is artificially enriched with absinthin.

Absinthe's notable role in the fine art movements of Impressionism, Post-impressionism, Surrealism, Modernism, Cubism and in the corresponding literary movements has been an inspiration for perfumers, helping them shape their creations and giving breath to la fée verte producing the 'lucid drunkenness' so coveted by artists. It is no accident that it had been the drink of choice for the "damned poets" and bohemians of the 19th century.
As a first tentative taste of the wormwood liquor attests, there is a journey to be had there!
But it is also intriguing to think that the name Chernobyl, the nuclear factory reactor which was responsible for the biggest nuclear accident in history, also means "wormwood", rounding out the biblical prophecy!

"And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter."

~Revelation 8:10-11

Ernest Dowson, the English poet famous for coining the phrase 'Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder' wrote his Absinthia Taetra on a trip to Paris. Here it is from La Fée absinthe site:

Absinthia Taetra

Green changed to white, emerald to opal; nothing was changed.
The man let the water trickle gently into his glass, and as the green clouded, a mist fell from his mind.
Then he drank opaline.

Memories and terrors beset him. The past tore after him like a panther and through the blackness of the present he saw the luminous tiger eyes of the things to be.
But he drank opaline.

And that obscure night of the soul, and the valley of humiliation, through which he stumbled, were forgotten. He saw blue vistas of undiscovered countries, high prospects and a quiet, caressing sea. The past shed its perfume over him, to-day held his hand as if it were a little child, and to-morrow shone like a white star: nothing was changed.
He drank opaline.

The man had known the obscure night of the soul, and lay even now in the valley of humiliation; and the tiger menace of the things to be was red in the skies. But for a little while he had forgotten.
Green changed to white, emerald to opal; nothing was changed.

In Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Draculathe hypnotic effect of absinthe preparation leading to seduction is set to a mesmerising score by Polish composer Wojciech Kilar. (you can get it here)


The ritual of serving the bitter green liquid is clearly half its charm. The spirit is poured into a glass over which a specially designed slotted spoon is placed. A sugar cube is then deposited on the spoon and ice-cold water is poured or dripped over the sugar, diluting it to preference. Adding sugar is essential as absinthe is extremely bitter and the essential oils so prized can't come out of suspension by themselves. The non-soluble in water components, mainly those from anise, fennel, and star anise, come out of solution with the water addition resulting in a milky opalescence called the louche (French for “shady”), common in other anisic drinks as well, such as ouzo.

Other films focus on the green spirit as well: Moulin Rouge's absinthe scene is inspired by painter and patron Toulouse Lautrec's own habit of absinthe drinking in the historical music-hall of Paris housed in an old windmill.La fée verte takes the shape of Kylie Minogue, talking with the voice of Ozzy Osbourne.
In From Hell Johnny Depp as Frederick Abberline in pursuit of Jack the Ripper succumbs to the charms of absinthe and laudanum (tinctura opii). But its reputation for being an aphrodisiac is what influenced the scriptwriter for Alfie to include it in a scene in which a sexually voracious older woman (Susan Sarandon) introduces the womaniser into both absinthe and a taste of his own drug.
Lust for Life,a film with Kirk Douglas, also features lots of absinthe consuming scenes, as allegedly the drink was at the root of the painter Van Gogh's madness. In Manon of the Spring glimpses of the practice set in the French countryside can also be seen.

But possibly the film which most accurately references absinthe and wormwood in relation to those who actually made it a trademark, the 19th century "damned poets", is Total Eclipse, the story of the torrid, tempestuous relationship between Paul Verlaine and Arthur Rimbaud. Perhaps an unsuccessful film, it holds its special interest for those who are interested in the minutiae of 19th century style and mores.

Adding:An interesting article on modern day absinthe in the US can be found via The New York Times.


To be continued on that note with an exploration of such themes in art and literature and the olfactory pictures they conjure.

Pic of Johnny Depp from film From Hell , as well as label of Dubied Père et Fils courtesy of the wormwoodsociety. Dracula clip uploaded by Richardcontact1962

6 Tips on How To Sample as Many Fragrances as Possible

Getting to try out lots and diverse fragrances can be a daunting task, not least because there is the difficulty of keeping up with all the new releases and of getting actual samples to try out at home.
So here are some tips to help you out!

1.Map out your destination: do you want to go mass market testing or upscale boutique? It makes all the difference in the world in the proceedings, as you will see. I would suggest you make a list of coveted fragrances for each itinerary and then follow my suggestions for each.
And above all: forgo perfume and anything scented on that day. You want to have as much "virgin" skin on exposure as possible.

2.If you choose to go the department store/Sephora way. There is a specific code of conduct for this, so pay attention.
We all know that one of the major obstacles in unobtrused testing is sales assistants and their sometimes predatory jump-up on you with their "can I help you?". To avoid that without having to say 10 times "I'm merely browsing" there are several techniques. One of which is to dress as unconspicuously as possible: too expensive and fashion-forward and you look like someone who needs someone on his beck and call; too shabby and you look like a possible shoplifter. You want to mix with your surroundings, be a little bit anonymous.
Avoiding eye contact also works great. Take a little basket at hand if you're at Sephora -or anywhere they offer those- and browse the fragrance aisles unobtrused, spritzing to your heart's content, swifting to another bottle if you see a sales assistant coming your way: no one will bother to stop you. Should they do and you're in a good mood, you can assume your girliest look and say pleadingly: "Can I play just a little bit? It's such fun!"

3.If you want to actually get samples from a department store for testing at home. First of all, preferably go when you actually do need to make even a tiny purchase (say, a nail polish). Then when you do ask for the item, you can also interject questions about the fragrances you need samples of. They do have them if it's something new no matter what they might say and they are intended for your use, so be a little persistent, although always polite. Ask questions and be prepared to hear the wrong answers. You're not there to outwit them, you're there with a mission. Make them like you. Questioning shows that you have an actual interest in the scent and you are a potential customer, not just a sample hoarder, so the sales assistant will be more receptive. If they do not have sample vials to give (it can happen once in a while), you can bring your own and ask for a fill-up from the tester. Sephora in particular offers this as a standard practice, so don't be afraid to at least suggest it.
If your interest is on something older, it's probably hidden under the counter and you have to ask for the tester. Be brave and do it, they will produce it for you.


4.If you choose to go the niche boutique/upscale store with exclusives. A completely different approach is needed here. Dress as eclectically or classically expensive as you can, without going overboard of course. Drop the tacky fake items at all costs and look tidy: a tidy exterior has been scientifically proven to inject the idea that the person is organised and knows what he/she wants.
If you have actually shopped in the same shop before, it is a good idea to carry a little shopping bag of the store (with your sunglasses or your scarf inside): it lets them know instantly you're a customer and they will be extra friendly! If not but you have a small shopping bag from a comparable store, carry that instead: they will perceive the competition and strive to get the sale themselves.
Let them approach you and then state your purpose clearly. "I came to sample the new Chanel fragrances" or "I have read that the new Amouage has just come in!" They will be glad to show you.
When the difficult time of actually requesting a physical sample vial comes, you can always pretend you already have a perfume on and would prefer to sample at the leisure of your home. If they seem a little obstinate, claiming they have no sample vials, you can produce your own from your (expensive) purse and politely ask them to fill up from the tester. If they cannot do that, you can at least ask for blotters to spritz and sniff at home: you can have your own blotters and little envelopes to put them in seperately in your purse. They might look at you funny at this point, pay no attention.
If they decline, have the good manners to smile and thank them anyway. These people just work in a luxury shop, they don't own the things, plus they're on their feet all day. Don't envy them!

5.Befriend a competent sales assistant at your favourite store. It can't be stressed enough. She is worth her weight in gold! She will tell you about all the lasest news (those that she knows, at least), when items arrive and if there is a waiting list she will phone you when it's still getting started, so you do have a chance to get your item in time. Not to mention she will fill your handbag with samples following any actual purchase you make at the store!

6.If you're generally bored/daunted/sick of the whole shopping experience and want to do everything from home/desk.

a) You can swap for them on any perfume board for afficionados, such as Makeup Alley, or Basenotes. There is a technique involved here too: first amass some samples you think people will want to trade you for, then browse for those you wish for and get into the fine details. Preferably choose established swappers with good feedback and always make clear what each one's end of the deal is before sending. Swapping is a matter of trust and supposed to be fun. If you feel weird during the proceedings, better let it pass.

b) You can order niche samples from several fragrance sites directly, such as Aedes de Venustas, Luscious Cargo, Luckyscent and First in Fragrance. They make the bulk of their revenue out of samples anyway, I suspect (if their bestseller lists are any testament to that!).
Unsniffed purchases of whole bottles is strongly discouraged. You can be stuck with something you hate and no one wants! Don't be swayed by the ad copy just because it's not a magazine you're reading it in. It's still ad copy!
I would also personally advise against purchasing things that come only in nanodrops for exorbitant prices. Time and again has proven that those are ultimately disappointing and they soon crop up in people's swap lists anyway, so you can save the bucks and go route a (see right above).

c) You can email/write to perfume companies directly and ask for their sampling programme. Sometimes they have wonderful sample packs that will delight you. Its' worth it! Ormonde Jayne, Nobile 1942, Vero Profumo, Etat Libre d'orange (with their set of 17 miniatures) and others are such companies.
Some even have free giveaways such as Tauer Perfumes who frequently does so through his blog, which is the ultimate in a joyous experience.
Artisanal perfumers generally are very willing to send samples of their work for a nominal fee: try Abdes Salaam profumo.it, Anya's Garden, Aftelier, Sonoma Scent Studio, Ayala Moriel, Michael Storer, Liz Zorn/Soivohoe fragrances.
Also major companies have cottoned up to the power of the Internet and began to harness it by launching seperate pages for their new scents, often hosting sample giveaways and contests with prizes. Googling a new perfume name along with the sample/giveaway/contest tag will make those pop up. Example: here. I simply entered "Chloe new perfume sample" on Google!

d) You can also buy from respected sellers online, such as The Perfumed Court, The Posh Peasant and Fishbone fragrances. They have a great selection, but as prices are a little expensive, you might want to keep this for things you can't lay your hands any other way. You're guaranteed good service.

e) Last but not least, every time you make an online purchase at any site that carries fragrance, no matter what the purchase is, you can write at the comment form that you would appreciate fragrance samples with your order. They will oblige and send a little something, most of the time.


Pic courtesy of theage.au

The Solution to April Fool's Game

It was with real pleasure that I saw you had fun with the little game on April Fool's day. It was fun for me as well and I enjoyed reading your thinking behind every guess. Thank you!

Now, on to the solutions.

The correct answer is #3: there is a DNA-developed technique in which scientists are set to create the ultimate bespoke fragrance.

The rest had some grain of truth in them, but they were ultimately false.
Madonna has been linked with her own celebrity scent for ages, but no one has ever heard anything more about it, least of all about names, colour of juice and deals. I admit to fabrication...
Gucci badly needs an in-house perfumer, if only to sort out all those same name fragrances and ressurect some of the older defunct ones (like Arte di Gucci and Gucci No.3, a lovely chypre in the old style). It was tempting to designate Sheldrake for the job...
Chanel should probably issue a parfum form for all Les Exclusifs, and especially 31 Rue Cambon, although rumour has it they went for the gigantic bottles inspired by the commercial success of the big bottles of Creed (who would have thought?). Luckily Bois des Îles and Cuir de Russie are still being made in exrait de parfum, available from their Paris boutique. Of course the issues of birch tar and Mysore sandalwood remain, but I trust they will find a way. For our sake!

Since many of you have guessed right I opted for a little random draw among the correct guesses and the winner is Elysium! Please mail me your info so I can send you your prize.

Thanks again to all for your clever guesses and stay tuned for a practical and useful primer post shortly!

Exciting News!

As always we have the extreme pleasure of bringing you news that will delight or trouble, depending on your tastes and expectations.
Without further ado, here is the latest:

1. Madonna who has been rumoured with issuing her own celebrity scent for ever (and who is by all means a fragrance hoarder) is finally doing just that: She has striken a deal with Coty, brand to the stars, and will launch a fragrance named "Enlightment Forever". Inspired by her own spiritual journey through the years, it will be coloured bright red to match the little red Kaballah bracelets the stars are wearing with a cap in orange, colour of spiritual awakening. Despite Coty's average licences for celebrity perfumes, Madonna's will be featured only at select doors and will retail at the higher end of the price range, perhaps as a nod to her upscale British living.
She has plans of issuing children's scents next, inspired by her own offspring. Best of luck to her!

2. Chris Sheldrake, the prodigy behind the Serge Lutens line and up till now collaborator in the creative department of parfums Chanel, has announced artistic disagreement with Jacques Polge and is leaving the house. Rumours want him to become the in-house nose of Gucci, following in the steps of Duriez for Patou and Ellena for Hermes.
Effective come June of this year. Can't wait!

3. Scientistis and perfumers collaborate on the ultimate personal, bespoke scent. A concept of a fragrance based on a person's individual DNA. Yes, it's as you heard: a cotton swab will take a small sample from inside your cheek CSI-mode-like and then perfumers will work on accords that suit your individual chemistry and of course tastes (you will be asked, I presume). The service promises that after use of a person's DNA, no data or specimen is kept but they are destroyed to protect individual rights. The idea sounds terribly futuristic but wonderful, no?

4. Chanel has announced they are issuing a parfum version of their most lauded perfume from Les Exclusifs: 31 Rue Cambon. It was about time! I always thought the Eau de toilette was doing it a disservice being so light and fleeting. Unfortunately to do that they are officially discontinuing the parfum strength of Bois des Iles and Cuir de Russie, due to allergen issues with birch tar for the former and environmental issues with Mysore sandalwood depletion for the latter. It was a long way in the coming, as we have discussed before... Sad, though.


But don't despair! Not everything you read is true. It's just phrased to sound like it, in typical perfume-industry mode. You did look at the date above, didn't you?
So, a little April Fool's GAME: spot the true from the false and you will win a decant of a niche scent. Alors!

Artwork La Joconde by Gelitin, courtesy of the New York Times

Average Person vs Perfumista

Sometimes a question is not just a question. It includes its own answer and some surplus connotations as well. How can this theory be applied to perfume discussion? Here is how: "Do you think the average person on the street would like Chanel Bois des Îles?" The thought was further elaborated: "Does our extreme focus on fragrances make us unable to be impartial judges at this point to what appeals to the masses? And finally...do we even care what the person on the street thinks as long as we like it?" This got me thinking.

For some reason, a question like that presupposes certain things:

1) that Bois des Îles is not popular anyway (OK, I am willing to believe this due to exclusivity, if not taste)
2) that Bois des Îles is therefore somehow superior (which in all truth it is...But this is besides the point, as it is getting asked, so supposedly it would be under scrutiny whether it is)
3) that the average person cannot recognise the value of a superior fragrance if they smell it
4) that the person asking is not average (notice the term "masses")
6) therefore, by process of syllogism, the person asking is superior.

Don't you think such questions are more about the questioner than the question?

The answers are just as interesting:
"I do not think Bois Des Îlesis a particularly accessible fragrance" coming from a "newbie" as she admits. Another continues the above thinking: "I don't eat what the average person on the street eats (McDonalds!) and I'm sure they don't share my taste in scent. That's fine, we can have rarefied taste..." To which there is some follow up: "Bois des Îleswas not made for the average people. I am not interested in their reactions".
And the pièce de resistance, someone asks: "Which street?" (I am laughing now with the wry humour. If it's not humour, then I don't know what to say!)

A friend with whom I discussed this replied with another question: "Why the hell would I want the average person to love it on ME?"
Because it is inferred we pick them, not the other way around. True, dear, true.

Since when our choice of perfume makes us superior? Or is this as ancient as the first cavewoman/caveman who rubbed herbs on the body and believed to be better than the neighbour next...cave-opening? I am asking you!

Pic originally uploaded on Wit of the staircase