Scents and Sensibility Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bulgaria

Not all roses are used in perfumery. One of the most prized fragrant varieties is the Damask rose (Rosa damascena), named after the Syrian capital of Damascus, and believed to have been brought to Europe in the 12th century by a French crusader. Damask roses are grown and harvested for the intensely fragrant essential oil (known as attar of roses or rose otto) extracted from them through steam distillation or solvent extraction. Rosewater, a by-product of distillation, is used both in skin care and as a food flavouring. As the production process is extremely labour-intensive, true rose oil commands high prices.

Damask roses have been grown in Bulgaria for centuries, particularly in the area known as Rose Valley, a region in the centre of the country near the town of Kazanlak. Nearly half of the world's production of rose oil comes from this small area; not surprisingly, the rose is also Bulgaria's national flower. Damask roses are also grown in various parts of Western, Central, and South Asia. The other major variety of rose used in perfumery is Rosa centifolia (also known as cabbage rose or May rose), mainly grown in southern France, near the city of Grasse, the world's perfume capital. Rose oil extracted from cabbage roses, however, has a lighter and more delicate scent.

Many high-end perfumes - especially in the so-called "niche" market - have rose as one of their top, heart (middle), or base notes - the three elements that work together to create a fragrance. One of the most enduringly popular rose-based perfumes is "Paris" by Yves Saint-Laurent (launched in 1983).

Answer: amber

Dating from the late 19th century, the use of the word "amber" in connection with fragrance has been explained in various ways - one of them being that the warm, sensual scent of perfumes of the amber family brings to mind the rich golden colour of the gemstone. True amber, however, is the fossilized resin of a kind of pine tree, and will only produce some sort of pine-tar smell when burned. A similar product, copal (the resin of a tree from Central America), was burned as incense by Mesoamerican peoples, and is occasionally used in perfumery.

A much stronger connection between amber and fragrance is "ambergris" ("grey amber"), a dark- grey, waxy substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales, used for centuries as a fixative for perfumes - allowing them to last much longer. In fact, the word "amber" originally denoted ambergris - which, like amber, was often found washed up on beaches. This substance, which is rarely used in modern perfumery, was renowned for its unique, sweet-salty smell - mentioned in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick".

Nowadays, the "amber" note is mainly based on the combination of three ingredients: vanilla, labdanum (the resin of Cistus, a Mediterranean shrub known as rockrose), and benzoin (the secretions of the Styrax tree). Another frequently used raw material is liquidambar (also often referred to as styrax or storax), the resin of the sweetgum tree - whose beautiful leaves are shown in the photo. Synthetic ambers, such as Ambroxan, have also been developed, and are increasingly employed in the perfume industry. Among the most famous designer amber perfumes there are Guerlain's iconic "Shalimar" (1921) and Calvin Klein's "Obsession" (1985).

Answer: bergamot

As the bergamot tree (Citrus bergamia) is a native of southern Italy, where it is mainly grown on the Ionian coast of Calabria, its name is unlikely to be derived from the city of Bergamo in the northern Italian region of Lombardy - but rather from the Turkish "beg armudu" ("prince's pear") through the Italian "bergamotta". An intensely aromatic essential oil is extracted from the rind of these small oranges, widely used in perfumery and as a flavouring for the tea blends known as Earl Grey and Lady Grey.

Bergamot oil's distinctive feature is its ability to combine with a wide variety of other scents to create harmonious bouquets. It is one of the key ingredients of the original "Eau de Cologne", created by Italian-born perfumer Giovanni Maria Farina in 1709 - a combination that also included essential oils of other citrus fruits, flowers, and herbs. This iconic scent is now marketed as "Original Eau de Cologne 4711", the street number of the original store in the centre of Cologne.

Citrus trees are among the most important sources of raw materials used in perfumery. In particular, every part of the bitter orange tree (also known as Seville orange tree or "bigaradier") yields a highly prized fragrant material: orange blossom and neroli are extracted from its flowers, bigarade essential oil (the distinctive aroma of orange marmalade) from its fruits, and petitgrain from its leaves and twigs.

Answer: musk

One of the most important of all perfume ingredients, musk (a name derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "testicle") refers to the secretions of the caudal glands of the male deer of the Moschus family, especially the Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus, shown in the photo). Deer musk has been used in perfumery for centuries for its fixative (and supposedly aphrodisiac) properties - until musk deer became protected as an endangered species in 1979.

Musk is extracted from the glands by a lengthy process, at the end of which the musk granules are infused in ethanol to obtain a tincture. Though the natural smell of musk is rather strong and suggestive of urine, when in tincture form its "animalic" note becomes warm, earthy. and somewhat sweet, prized for its unique ability of harmonizing the various components of a fragrance. In modern perfumery, a number of synthetic musks are available to replace the real thing. The iconic Chanel Nº 5, made famous by Marilyn Monroe, is based on one of these early compounds, named Musk Ketone. White musk, a widely used synthetic musk compound, is characterized by a fresh scent that evokes cleanliness rather than sensuality. There are also natural alternatives to animal musk, such as the seeds of muskmallow (Abelmoschus moschatus), also known as ambrette.

Like musk, civet and castoreum are (or were) extracted from animal glands - the former from various species of Viverridae (such as the African civet), the latter from beavers. A major component of many masculine fragrances, leather ("cuir" in French) is a "fantasy" note that is not extracted from actual animal hides, but rather inspired by the smell of high-quality leather goods; castoreum and birch tar are among the materials used in the creation of "leather" fragrances.

Answer: roots

Vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides) is a grass closely related to wheat and other cereal crops, native to India (where it also known as "khus"). The name "vetiver" comes from a Tamil word meaning "root that is dug up". These roots grow long and very tough; prized for their antibacterial properties, they are often used to weave mats or stuff mattresses, as they will keep parasites away. Haiti, where the plant was introduced in the 1930s, is currently the leading producer of vetiver oil.

The essential oil extracted from vetiver roots has an intriguingly earthy, balsamic, slightly smoky scent. Though classified as a woody note, vetiver oil also possesses an intriguing "green" quality that makes it a perfect complement to citrus notes - as implied by the lemons shown next to several bundles of vetiver roots in the photo. In fact, vetiver is also related to citronella and lemongrass, known for their distinctive citrusy smell and insect-repelling properties. Vetiver is prominently featured in many masculine fragrances; it often appears as the dominant note in compositions such as Guerlain's "Vetiver" (1961), which contains 20% of vetiver oil.

Ginger (which is used in perfumery) and turmeric (used mainly as a spice and a dye) are rhizomes, which are modified roots. A rhizome that is widely used in perfumery is orris root, the rhizome of some species of iris.

Answer: frankincense

"Perfume" comes from the Latin "per fumum", meaning "through smoke" - so it should not come as a surprise that frankincense is probably one of the very earliest substances associated with fragrance. Frankincense (from the Old French "franc-encens", meaning "pure incense") is the gum-resin of Boswellia sacra, a tree native to the southern Arabian Peninsula (present-day Oman and Yemen). Trade routes carrying the valuable resin from that region to various parts of the known world were established over 5,000 years ago. The alternative name "olibanum" for frankincense comes fro the Arabic "al-laban" ("gum") through Greek.

Many associate frankincense with one of the gifts brought by the Magi (also known as the Three Kings) from the East to Jesus after his birth - which hints at its worth in ancient times. The scent of burning frankincense is familiar to anyone who has attended a religious ceremony in a Roman Catholic church (though it is also used by other religions). However, frankincense also plays a important role in modern perfumery, though rarely as the dominant note in a fragrance. Its essential oil, with its characteristic woody, balsamic scent, is extracted from frankincense resin through steam distillation. Frankincense is widely used in niche perfumery, but it is also frequently featured in mainstream designer fragrances such as Dior's "Poison" (1985) or Hermès' "Calèche" (1961). Sadly, as is the case with other plants mentioned in this quiz, the number of frankincense trees is decreasing because of overexploitation and parasite attacks.

Agarwood (also known as oud) and mastic are also resinous materials, as is myrrh, another of the gifts brought to Jesus by the Magi. Patchouli, on the other hand, is extracted from the dried leaves and twigs of a flowering plant.

Answer: lichen

Called "mousse de chêne" in French, oakmoss is a species of lichen (Evernia prunastri) that grows on the bark of oaks and other trees in the temperate forests of the Northern Hemisphere. The growth of these organisms is considered an indicator of the good quality of the air in a given area. Primarily harvested in European countries such as France, Italy, and Spain, dried oakmoss is a source of various compounds that are prized for their woody, earthy, yet somewhat sweet fragrance, which combines particularly well with floral and green notes.

As oakmoss has been proved to cause adverse skin reactions in some people, its use has been restricted by international regulations - which has created considerable problems for perfumers. The unique scent profile of oakmoss is essential in the creation of "chypre" fragrances (named after a 1917 perfume by François Coty) in which this valuable raw material is combined with citrus and labdanum (a resin extracted from Cistus shrubs). "Fougère" fragrances (from the French for "fern", named after a perfume created in 1882 by Houbigant), often intended for men, combine oakmoss with herbaceous, citrus, and woody notes. Modern chemistry, as always, has come to the rescue, creating alternatives that preserve the forest-like scent of oakmoss.

Famous perfumes that feature oakmoss in a prominent role are Guerlain's "Mitsouko" (1919), an icon of the "Roaring Twenties", and "Paco Rabanne Pour Homme" (1973).

Answer: carnation

The intriguingly spicy fragrance of carnation (Dianthus caryophillum), also known as clove pink or oeillet, may come across as a bit old-fashioned. Indeed, it was one of the most popular scents at the turn of the 20th century, during the historical period known as the Belle Époque; it is also one of the main notes in iconic vintage perfumes such as Guerlain's "L'Heure Bleue" (1912) and Nina Ricci's "L'Air du Temps" (1948). Cloves, the unopened flower buds of the tree Syzygium aromaticum, are not botanically related to carnations, though they have a similar scent, due to the presence of the chemical compound eugenol.

White flowers are distinguished by their intense, heady scent - a feature shared by the three flowers mentioned as incorrect answers. Alongside rose, jasmine (Jasminum officinalis) is probably the most important floral raw material used in perfumery - so much that there is a saying that goes, "there are no perfumes without jasmine". Because of the very high prices commanded by jasmine extract, a synthetic aroma compound called hedione was created in the 1950s. The intoxicating, opulent fragrance of white flowers - particularly pronounced in tuberose, which was considered a "sinful" scent in the Victorian era - is due to the presence of the aromatic compound indole, which is also associated with rather less pleasant smells (look it up if you are interested in learning more).

Not all white flowers are considered part of the "white floral" group. This is the case of lily of the valley, which is classified as a "green floral", or magnolia, with its fresh, lemony smell.

Answer: India

Mysore was the former name of the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka, which was once the seat of the wealthy and powerful Kingdom of Mysore. The name now denotes a city and district in the southernmost part of the state, known for its monuments and for the production of silk and sandalwood oil (both of which are trademarked). The prized perfume oil is extracted by steam distillation from Santalum album, the Indian sandalwood, also known as the "royal tree"; both the heartwood and the roots of the tree are used in the extraction process.

Sandalwood's unique scent combines well with both floral and woody perfume notes. However, in modern perfumery pure sandalwood oil is being increasingly replaced by synthetic compounds, due to the rarity of the trees (which are protected by law in Karnataka and the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu) and the labour-intensive extraction process. Some perfumers also employ the extracts of other species of the Santalum tree, such as Australian sandalwood, whose scent is somewhat harsher than that of the Indian variety. Santalum album is also native to northern Australia, where it is now grown commercially. Sandalwood often appears as a note in fragrances inspired by the East, such as Guerlain's "Samsara" (launched in 1989).

The statue of the Hindu god Ganesh in the photo is carved from sandalwood, which is sacred in Hinduism, and known by the name of "chandana". The wood is often burned as incense in temples, and sandalwood paste and powders are used in various rituals.

Answer: vanilla

Though vanilla may be familiar to most of us as an essential ingredient of desserts and baked goods, it is no less important as a perfumery material. There would be no "gourmand" fragrances - the first of which was Thierry Mugler's "Angel", launched in 1992 - without vanilla, either in its natural or synthetic form. There are whole lines dedicated to vanilla-based fragrances, emphasizing the appeal of a scent that can be successfully combined with many different notes.

Vanilla is extracted from the pods of Vanilla planifolia, an orchid native to Mexico and Central America, which are particularly rich in vanillin, the organic compound (aldehyde) that is the main component of vanilla bean extract. In modern perfumery, the vanilla note is more often than not lab-created, though there are fragrances that still use the real thing. Vanilla appears as a note in thousands of perfumes, both mainstream and niche, and is as popular as a fragrance ingredient as it it is as a food flavouring. On the other hand, though very popular as ornamental flowers, orchids are hardly ever used in perfumery: if a fragrance lists "orchid" as one of its notes, it is generally a synthetic, "fantasy" note.

Cinnamon (the bark of a tree), nutmeg and pepper (both of them fruits) are all widely used in the making of perfumes and other scented products, though none of them is as ubiquitous a fragrance note as vanilla.