The molecule: Glycolic acid
Though fragrance chemistry can’t yet say “green” in quite as many ways as Nature, today its variegated palette goes far beyond “grass” or “Granny Smith”.
Thus, Givaudan’s herbaceous Glycolierral® captures the cool scent of a crushed ivy leaf – hence the name given by Givaudan to the molecule, from the French word for “ivy”, lierre.
The Scent: Thinking Green
Say it with a long “o” – Shisõ – and in Japanese, it means “modern thought”. With a short “o”, it trips over the tongue with the uniquely complex flavor of the shiso leaf. An iconic herb in Japanese cuisine, shiso is seldom featured in fragrance.
But its smell – a blend of mint, basil and cumin with a metallic flash — has long fascinated Bertrand Duchaufour. In shi_sõ, he spins it into an arrestingly modern take on a classic genre, the eau de Cologne, replacing citrus with a kaleidoscope of green notes. The zesty bite of cardamom. A sprig of cool spearmint. Lemony verbena. Raspy blackcurrant. Soapy almondy anise. Tart rhubarb. Glycolierral® wraps the bracing blend in a sweet, milky, sap-laden effect.
Bertrand Duchaufour
Since first finding his calling when he smelled a girlfriend’s Chanel N°19, Bertrand Duchaufour has become a cult figure among fragrance lovers and one of the most prolific auteurs in niche perfumery, with an oeuvre featuring such contemporary classics as Avignon (Comme des Garçons) and Timbuktu (L’Artisan Parfumeur).
A keen painter, photographer and collector of museum-quality tribal art, the maverick perfumer often draws his inspiration from far-flung destinations and quirky, soulful ingredients. Thus, a recent trip to Japan triggered the idea for his first collaboration with Nomenclature: shi_sõ.
