HERENCIA FRAGANTE | For nearly one-and-a-half thousand years, Arabic cultures have exerted influence on various aspects of Spanish culture, including perfumery. Shortly after the founding of Islam, Muslims from North Africa crossed the Straits of Gibraltar into Spain. These invaders were referred to by their European counterparts as the Moors.
The history of Spanish perfume dates to that era, and encapsulates influences from the incoming Muslims. Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans all brought their own perfumery traditions and techniques to Spain, but these were further refined by the Moors from the 8th to the 15th centuries.
The Muslims entering Spain were some of the most well-connected and accomplished traders of their time. They introduced orange blossom, popularised rose water, and brought with them essential oils which were turned into precious and revered perfumes.
Al-Kindi, a Muslim philosopher and scientist, is known for his work in isolating alcohol and was the first to describe the production of pure alcohol from distillation. Heralded as one of the fathers of modern perfumery, he wrote formulas for fragrance oils and aromatic perfumed waters in the Kitab Kimiya al-itr.
To celebrate this influence on Spanish perfumery, we worked with a Spanish perfumer born in Catalonia to develop our fragrance, Herencia Fragrante. Whereas most perfumers are born in France and study at traditional perfume schools, our perfumer - often called the “Master of Oud” - didn’t follow a traditional, set path, and is entirely self-taught.
The composition of Herencia Fragrante is a homage to the raw materials introduced by the Muslims to Spain. These new scents shocked and hypnotised their customers, as we hope that our scent will today. Essential oils and natural extracts of the finest quality were blended in this perfume to provide a new, ecstatic olfactory experience, in homage to the olfactory awakening that the Muslims brought with them hundreds of years ago.
TOP
Blackcurrant, Rose
MIDDLE
Oud accord, Jasmine
BASE
Patchouly, Amber, Vanilla
Created in France • Made in Korea