The good news of today is: All fragrant building blocks for the leather are stocked up to produce a first batch. Yesterday, the final missing materials arrived from Essencia, like the Tonka beans resinoid, the Bourbon Geranium essential oil, fresh rectified Birchtar, and Jasmine abs. and and and. Together with some stuff from France and from Eden we have everything ready and the count down starts running. It is getting exciting but also painful because sooner or later everything will be ready and waits for the concentrated batch. The undiluted mix of oils and resins and absolutes needs to mature before it can be diluted with alcohol.
Based on what I smelled, comparing previous dilutions of my master mix at previous time points, I realized that the leather stock needs at least 2 months maturation. 2 months to transform itself and get softer, rounder and deeper. The difference of diluted samples right after mixing the stock and after 2 months maturation is striking. Especially the smoky-woody lines need time to fully develop. Well, I guess there’s ample time to work on sample packaging material and brochures…..
(pix: business card, finally in print these days)
# posted by andy : 9:01 AM
5 Comments:
How exiting to get all the materials for the big blend:-)
But I have to ask - why do you blend the perfume base neat and not in the carrier (alcohol) from the start? And how on earth do you manage to work with stuff like birchtar, if you haven't dilluted it and let that dillution mature?
I'm soooo curious to hear the reason to this.
Hugs,
Ylva
I have to go with Ylva on this question because I had no idea you didn't dilute any of it.
Is this a process derived from using synthetics?
Its clear Ylva and I would dilute from the off.
How on earth do you find something nice from blending neat?
What mircacle are you performing in Zurich young Andy?
Heather
Dear Heather, dear Ylva
I have learnt this from Vero, but did it that way already beforehand, but less systematic. From her, I have learnt how important it is.
The maturation takes place in two phases:
First have the undiluted oils, all mixed, the volatile oils the last, stand for 1-2 months. Onf effect is that some of the compounds may react faster because chemical reactions are also concentration dependent.
In a second step I dilute the master mix with alcohol and let it mature again for some time (usually 1 month). Now the compounds are diluted and some reactions may take place (involving alcohol as reactant) or involving alcohol as reaction enhancer.
mostly, I do not see big changes in a scent before and after. But for the Le maroc pour elle, the effect is striking and for the leather trial I have just seen that, too.
Last: The Birchtar, it is a liquid, rectified to get rid of all toxic materials and make it safe for perfumery. It is straightforward to mix it and let it stand with all the other oils in concentrated form.
Dear Andy,
I must be slow, but I still don't get it...How on earth do you manage to work this way with the more solidified materials like some absolutes and all the concretes? Not to mention resinoids, like the galbanum from Essencia? It's almost impossible to blend them at all....
According to Steffen Arctander certain materials need to be dilluted (before blended I presume) to give up their true essence and from my experiments I find that very true. Some (like my beloved Yuzu abs, not to mention orris root) goes through a wonderful transformation with dillution and then maturing for a month or more.
What truly mystifies me (but I'll bet there is some chemistry involved LOL) is what happen to all botanical blends during maturation. Blends that you initialy thought was wuite good, ends up smelling like eau de chat pee ;-) while others can come out quite nicely.
If I was younger (or all alone) I would certianly take that 1 year perfumery cource i Grasse - I want to learn it all :-D
Hugs,
Ylva
Dear Ylva
You are absolutely right that some compounds need to be diluted to reveal their true nature. For trying new compositions I do this, dilute them, otherwise it would be too difficult to work with them. Often you only use too little amounts, too.
In order to make a master batch for a perfume, I will have to warm aliquots gently until they allow pouring or weighing. It is, you guess right, sometimes a hassle.
It is always a wonderful feeling when the stock is mixed and I've got things right.
Have a wonderful weekend.
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