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Wine and spirits in perfumery

Alcohol, often beetroot and sometimes wheat, is commonly used to dilute the raw materials in a perfume.

Did you know that it is possible to use wine and liqueur notes at the heart of certain perfumes? Here is an overview of the surprising and spirituous raw materials that add punch and sensuality to fragrances.

 

Wine lees

Lees is the organic deposit of tartar and yeast that is formed at the bottom of the vats during the bottling of wine. The essential oils of white or green wine, cognac or brandy lees are all extracted by hydrodistillation from the lees. There are many different wines and spirits, resulting in different types of lees essential oils. The lees notes give the perfume a certain warm, sensual fruity alcoholic note.

 

Cognac

Cognac is a wine brandy produced in France in the Cognac region and its history is linked to distillation.

The creation of cognac dates back to the 15th century. The Charentes wine was then distilled to preserve its quality during transport across Europe to the Nordic countries. This resulted in a burnt wine appreciated by the Dutch who gave it the name brandewijn, which became brandy in British territory. In the 18th century, the producers in Charente adjusted their technique to a double distillation accompanied by an ageing of this wine in oak barrels. This was the birth of cognac.

Cognac is made from white grapes such as ugni blanc, folle-blanche, colombard and folignan. After harvesting and pressing the grapes, the must formed is fermented. After a seven-day rest, the beverage is distilled twice and aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two years.

The essential oil of cognac is used in perfumery. It is extracted from the lees of cognac wine by hydrodistillation. Cognac brings sweet and sulphurous notes to the perfume. It belongs to the oriental family of raw materials because it is distinguished by vanilla notes. It also contains jasmine and candied fruit notes.

 

 

Absinthe or wormwood

This heady herb, native to Europe and Russia, has a large rhizome and green leaves. Discovered by the Egyptians in 1600 BC, wormwood is grown in dry, sunny mountainous regions. After maceration, distillation, colouring, bleaching, fining and ageing, the absinthe liqueur is ready.

In perfumery, the essential oil of wormwood is obtained by hydrodistillation. Absinthe is part of the aromatic olfactory family. It gives off fresh, aniseed, mentholated, bitter and slightly woody notes. This gives the perfume an eccentric and dynamic side, it is of course free of head-turning molecules!

 

Rum

Rum is a spirit that originated in Central America. Rum factories are said to have existed in Barbados as early as 1688. Rum is produced by distilling sugar cane. It is then left to rest. After fermentation, crushing and distillation, the rum can be aged to obtain different qualities.

In perfumery, rum is used naturally after extraction. The extravagance of this brandy is expressed in certain perfumes. Rum belongs to the gourmand olfactory family. In fact, rum has notes of hazelnut, vanilla, honey, ginger, cinnamon or burnished leather that wonderfully enhance oriental or woody fragrances.

 

Whisky

Whisky is a spirit obtained by distilling malted cereals. The history of whisky is nowadays divided. Indeed, the Scots and the Irish dispute the origin of this drink. While the Scots rely on written documents to prove their anteriority, the Irish explain it by the history of historical conquests. However, Irish whisky is closer to a flavoured brandy than to a real whisky because the production process is not the same.

In perfumery, whisky is used naturally such as pure malt, whisky obtained exclusively from germinated malted barley. This raw material is obtained by distilling whisky. Whisky belongs to the woody family. It gives the fragrance peaty, woody notes but also evokes fresh flowers, dried fruits, honey, heather, caramel, hay, smoked barley, and sometimes even citrus fruits, raspberries and freshly cut grass.

 

Champagne

Champagne is a sparkling wine produced in France. The name champagne originates from the land where it is produced. Indeed, the Champagne lands located in the North-East of France have been producing this luxurious and joyful wine since the 3rd century AD. However, the first Champagne house was established only in 1729. Several varieties of champagne delight the taste buds throughout the world, such as blanc de blanc, rosé, vintage, brut, crémant, dry or semi-dry... Champagne is produced according to the méthode champenoise. This consists of a double fermentation of the must, sometimes in vats, sometimes in the final bottle in the cellar.

In perfumery, champagne accords are mainly reconstituted with raw materials such as ambrette, davana, juniper essential oil, fruity lactones... However, champagne essential oil can be obtained by distilling the lees of champagne wine. Champagne is one of the fruity notes. In a perfume, it offers a myriad of subtle and mysterious notes thanks to its facets of liquorice, undergrowth, caramel, mushrooms, red fruits, gingerbread, nuts, citrus, honey, almond and green.

 

 

Limoncello

Limoncello is a lemon liqueur native to Italy. The lemons are harvested from February to October. It was the entrepreneur Massimo Canale from the island of Capri who registered the Limoncello trademark. He obtains this precious liqueur by macerating lemon peels in purified alcohol for several weeks to extract all the aroma of the lemon, then a syrup of water and sugar is finally added.

In perfumery, limoncello is reproduced using citrus essential oils and aromatics. It therefore belongs to both the citrus and the aromatic family. The limoncello note is sweet, citrusy and slightly aromatic. It is an invitation to cool off on hot summer days.

 

Gin

Gin is a brandy that originated in the Spanish Netherlands at the end of the 17th century. Its name, Genever, became Gin when the English distilleries appropriated it at the end of the 17th century. Dutch gin is obtained by distilling alcohol from fermented rye and corn flours in which aromatics are soaked, mainly juniper berries, but also orange peel, liquorice, aniseed, cardamom, almonds, coriander, fennel and cumin.

In perfumery, gin is reconstituted in the form of an accord thanks to the numerous aromatics present both in perfumery and in the elaboration of this eau de vie. Gin is part of the aromatic family. At the heart of a perfume it brings aniseed, spicy, mentholated, citrus, gourmand and camphor notes.

 

Vodka

Vodka is also used in perfumery. Vodka obtained from the fractional distillation of rye, cereals and potatoes appeared in the 18th century in Russia. Vodka can be flavoured to give it taste and to break up the crudeness of this white spirit. Chilli, cedar nuts, nettles, cranberries, rowan berries, birch, pepper and buffalo grass can be used to flavour this spirit. It is also possible to find vodkas flavoured with lemon, caramel, cherry or even cannabis.

In perfumery, vodka is reconstituted as an accord. Vodka belongs to the aromatic-spicy family. Its green, spicy, aromatic, sometimes woody or fruity notes enhance the fragrance of freshness and tonicity.

 

Perfumes with alcohol notes

Wine lees:

  • Salute ! by Parfum d’Empire
  • Donna Noir Absolu by Valentino
  • Une Rose by Frédéric Malle
  • Bloody Wood by Liquides Imaginaires 
  • Bello Rabelo by Liquides Imaginaires

Cognac: 

  • Nevermore by Frapin
  • Boss In Motion Green Edition by Hugo Boss
  • Champaca Absolute by Tom Ford
  • Encounter by Calvin Klein 
  • Parfum des Merveilles by Hermès
  • Lady Million Empire by Paco Rabanne
  • 1270 by Frapin
  • Liqueur Charnelle by Huitième Art

Absinthe:

  • In Love With You by Armani
  • Fou d’Absinthe by L’Artisan Parfumeur
  • Absinthe Verte by Kilian
  • Absinth by Nasomatto
  • Glacialis Terra by L’Artisan Parfumeur
  • Beauté du Diable by Liquides Imaginaires

Rhum:

  • Spiritueuse Double Vanille by Guerlain
  • Encounter by Calvin Klein
  • Guerlain Homme by Guerlain
  • Agua de Amor Amor by Cacharel
  • Gourmand Coquin by Guerlain
  • L'Ambre des Merveilles by Hermès
  • Lolita Lempicka au Masculin by Lolita Lempicka
  • Now Women by Azzaro 
  • Guerlain Homme Intense by Guerlain
  • Idole by Lubin
  • Straight to Even by Killian
  • Passion boisée by Frapin
  • Les jeux sont faits by Jovoy
  • Speakeasy by Frapin
  • Jazz Club by Maison Margiela Replica
  • Rhum et Tabac by Comptoir Sud Pacifique
  • Black Phantom by Kilian

Whisky:

  • Fumidus by Profumum Roma
  • A*Men Pure Malt by Mugler
  • Korrigan by Lubin
  • Spirit of the Glen by D.S. & Durga
  • Vi et Armis by BeauFort
  • Baraonda by Nasomatto
  • Malt by Akro

Champagne:

  • Vierge de Fer by Serges Lutens
  •  À La Folie by Mauboussin
  • Ambre Russe by Parfum d’Empire
  • Divine Decadence by Marc Jacobs
  • Yvresse by Yves Saint Laurent
  • Dom Rosa by Liquides Imaginaires
  • Remarkable People by Etat libre d’Orange
  • Niral by Neela Vermeire Créations

Limoncello: 

  • Eau de Lacoste Fraîche L.12.12 Pour Lui by Lacoste
  •  Prada Candy, Eau de Toilette Florale by Prada
  • Oud Immortel by Byredo Parfums 
  • Citron Regenerez - Liquid Sunshine by Ajne

Gin:

  • Gin Fizz by Lubin
  • L’Humaniste by Frapin
  • L’Heure Brillante by Cartier
  • Juniper Sling by Penhaligon’s  

Vodka:

  • Ambre Russe by Parfum d’Empire
  • Vodka on the Rocks by Kilian

 

Text by Marie Bessin.

 

Sylvaine Delacourte perfumes

Discover Sylvaine Delacourte's brand with her Orange Blossom, Musk and Vanilla Collections. You can try them thanks to the Discovery Boxes (5 Eaux de Parfum x 2 ml) and rediscover these raw materials as you have never smelled them before.