Liatrix

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Fragrant whiskey and Indonesian cigar.

Description of notes:

The fragrance meets with fresh, spicy notes with pronounced citrus notes, bergamot, and clove with slight smoky vetiver on the background of sweet tobacco. The sweetness of tobacco will stay with you in the aura for a long time. After the fresh citrus and spicy smoky notes have evaporated, the floral heart—heliotrope and liatris—begin to open in the fragrance. These are aromas that form the aura. The fragrance will feel woody, leathery, and slightly smoky on the skin thanks to sandalwood, labdanum, and vetiver.

Specialty Perfume

Liatrix distinguishes itself as a specialty fragrance, built around the rare and extraordinary deertongue absolute (Liatris odoratissima) that forms its sophisticated gourmand heart. This exceptional material, crafted exclusively in Grasse, France, elevates the composition into the realm of artisanal perfumery, making each bottle a testament to the art of rare natural aromatics.

Deertongue absolute represents one of perfumery’s most unusual and coveted specialty materials. Its rarity stems from the complex extraction process required to capture the essence of dried liatris leaves, which yield virtually no essential oil through conventional steam distillation. Instead, the precious absolute must be obtained through volatile hydrocarbon extraction, followed by rectification and alcohol washing—a labor-intensive process that produces only small quantities of this thick, oleoresin-like material.

What makes this ingredient particularly exceptional is that authentic deertongue absolute has become increasingly scarce in the global fragrance market. The material offered here is actually a masterfully crafted specialty blend incorporating genuine liatris material with complementary naturals including coumarin, vanillin, and tonka bean—created by skilled artisans in Grasse to replicate the remarkable tobacco-vanilla-hay profile of true deertongue absolute. This substitution reflects not only the extreme rarity of pure deertongue absolute, but also the expertise required to recreate its complex aromatic signature.

The high concentration of coumarin (50-75%) in this specialty blend further underscores its potent, concentrated nature and the technical mastery required for its safe formulation in fine perfumery. Consequently, Liatrix exists as a limited creation, available only while reserves of this exceptional Grasse-crafted deertongue absolute remain accessible. Each bottle captures the essence of traditional French perfumery artisanship—making it a collector’s treasure for connoisseurs who appreciate the extraordinary in olfactory craftsmanship.

History of Creation:

Every time I open a bottle of fine, well-aged whiskey or a fifty-year-old white Portuguese port matured in oak barrels, I think of this fragrance. That’s exactly how it was developed: like a subtle breath of luxurious liquor in a smoky, vintage study lined with leather furniture. I’d long been inspired by cognac houses that decide to create perfumes honoring their classic aged bestsellers — this undoubtedly adds a touch of prestige.

However, this perfume was inspired by a friend who wanted a sophisticated niche fragrance with a gourmand, oriental theme. We worked together on an oriental foundation of coumarin, floral notes, and heliotrope, enriched by me with sandalwood and labdanum for depth. I was determined to give it a masculine edge, but we couldn’t agree on any classic ingredients — my friend favored gourmand and floral tones. This went on until I suddenly realized there was a unique material we’d both appreciate: Liatris absolute (deertongue flowers). Boasting tobacco and hay nuances, as well as a pronounced vanilla-like profile with gourmand coumarin hints, it’s reminiscent of tonka bean absolute but with more heady, woody-tobacco overtones.

Interestingly, the version with heavier, more pronounced leather turned out to be commercially more popular. The fragrance we created was originally a private commission and remained unpublished for quite some time—until one day, a client sampled an experimental blend in which I added leather and saffron to fulfill the initial concept. He immediately ordered two bottles, and that blend ultimately became the foundation of Liatrix.