New Hermès L'Ambre des Merveilles in 4 Questions (2/4) {Perfume Q & A}
Jean-Claude Ellena, about the upcoming Ambre des Merveilles
- The word amber opens up a world of fantasy but in the end, one doesn't really know what it designates. What is amber in perfumery?...
- It is a mystique! And a representation which reflects the evolution of mores. First of all, there is natural amber, the so-called "ambergris" which is a pathological substance excreted from the intestines of sperm whales. It was at times rejected, at other times harvested during carving sessions following whale hunts. Natural amber already carries with it a whole universe of imaginings around the heroes who have sojourned "in the belly of the beast" and who have survived to tell it. They are miraculous survivors who go from the prophet Jonas to Pinocchio! This amber has a very discreet aroma, refined, subtle, not at all opulent, of sea, ocean and gray tobacco. It was even used once upon a time in cooking to perfume fish or meat sauces, just like Tonkin musk which has an odor profile of blood and iron. There was a time when the smell of blood, and even that of rot, was considered to be a beautiful aroma! Today, it scares us, we reject it.
Next, 3/4
Via press release
