Welcome to JORUM JOURNAL ISSUE 15
JORUM JOURNAL is a monthly glimpse behind the scenes at Jorum Studio. Find out what’s inspiring us, what’s motivating us, what we’re celebrating – the thoughts and stories behind our fragrances.
APRIL at Jorum Studio saw our beautiful Edinburgh burst into full bloom. Spring blossom always brings to mind the transient beauty of the season, and the quiet joy it brings – especially for those whose noses are ever in the air, appreciating nature's scented delights.
We're also thinking back to the very tail end of March, when we stopped by at Esxence. Great times were had meeting connections old and new in ever-bustling Milan!
SEASONAL SCENT: THE TRANSIENT BEAUTY OF SPRING
Embrace the season with our curated selection of fragrances that evoke the ephemeral joy of spring – from tart pink-edged rhubarb, timeworn lavender fields and elegantly powdered skin to freshly-bloomed roses and dewdrop-mint berries.
Whether you're looking for an uplifting fresh start or a comforting embrace, our spring selection has something for every occasion.
PONY BOY
The kelpie haunts a lochside sauna, hissing out a steamed-wood and pink-edged sour lotus haze.
Impression: Rhubarb, Coriander seed, Fig, Pink Grapefruit, Champaca Absolute, Pink Pepper, Beetroot.
Fade: Pink Lotus Absolute, Vetiver, Ambrette seed, Atlas Cedarwood, Raspberry Leaf, Red Cedarwood, Calamus.
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ATHENAEUM
A fond memory reawakened: a rural childhood rediscovered in an urban landscape.
Impression: Scottish Lavender, Beeswax*, Fennel, Apple, Honey.
Fade: Neroli oil, Hyacinth, Flouve, Patchouli, Morocco Leather*, Gurjun Balsam, Oak, Ink.
*of synthetic origin
ELEGY
An aromatic déjà vu swirls over elegantly powdered skin. A luxurious swathe of absolutes, a graceful offering of remembrance.
Impression: Bergamot, Lavender, Honeysuckle, Petitgrain & Heather Absolute.
Fade: Jasmine Absolute, Orange Flower Absolute, Rose Absolute, Geranium Bourbon, Ambrette Seed, Benzoin, Cedar Absolute, Patchouli Absolute, Hay Absolute, Oakmoss Absolute, Musk*, Labdanum Absolute, Oud, Ambergris.*
*of synthetic origin.
NECTARY
A brutal floral bouquet. Beguilingly tart, oozing with honeyed sweetness, sheltered by walls of cool mineral vapour.
Impression: Bramble, Cranberry, Peach, Rose Absolute.
Fade: Oud, Ambergris, Roseroot, Olibanum, Selfheal, Castoreum*, Civet*, Labdanum Absolute, Musk.*
*of synthetic origin.
HEALING BERRY
Smashed to a pulp in a timeworn pestle and mortar, a tannin-sweet concoction equally fit to heal or harm.
Impression: Artemisia, Blackcurrant Absolute, Tayberry, Willowherb, Sloes, Wild Mint, Rose Absolute, Logan Berry, Buckler Fern, Violet Leaf Absolute.
Fade: Raspberry leaf, Orris Butter, Himalayan Balsam, Cereal Accord.
READING LIST
The Anatomy of Colour: The Story of Heritage Paints and Pigments by Patrick Baty
An in-depth look at the history of paint use from natural pigments in the 17th and 18th centuries to 1960s colour palettes – fascinating for any design enthusiast.
Niche by Nez Issue I
A very exciting new publication from the creators of Nez, The Olfactory Magazine. We're thrilled to be featured in Issue I.
Japanese Woodblock Prints by Andreas Marks
The 40th Anniversary Edition of this wonderful collection of woodblock prints is a feast for the eyes. Very inspiring!
MATERIAL FOCUS: NEROLI OIL
There are many aromatics that come to mind when thinking about spring – hyacinth, narcissus, jonquil, freshly-mown grass, hedgerows, the first flourishes of gorse. With that being said, we think Neroli oil possesses an optimistic aromatic profile perfect for springtime thinking. It's fresh, delicate, invigorating, soft, floral, calming with a bitter, tonic-like and subtle-spicy back note that makes the oil feel alive.
Neroli is the distilled essential oil from the flowers of the bitter orange tree. Most of the harvest takes place in Morocco, where the leaves are usually harvested at the same time as the flowers, but distilled separately to produce the always-important petitgrain oil. The flowers are hand-picked in March and April and distillation occurs immediately to avoid decay and to maximise the oil yield. As the production is labour intensive, the number of flowers needed to produce the oil is sizeable with low yields and the harvest being intimately dependent on delicate weather conditions, it’s no surprise that the cost of Neroli oil is high, around €10k per kilogram - as such, true and pure Neroli oil is used sparingly.
As with many of the materials in this series, neroli oil is very useful and can be put to great use in many styles of perfumery. We often use it in more surprising places, such as in Athenaeum where a healthy dose adds to the fresh inky quality the fragrance possesses upon initial application. The versatility of the oil means it can be used in any formulation where a natural freshness is desired – and the budget allows. We particularly like using neroli in tea blends.
The humble orange tree is a fountain of usable aromatics: neroli, petitgrain, orange oil, orange flower absolute, orange flower water, orange flower water absolute, petitgrain water absolute. An industrious tree for sure!
To us, however, neroli is quintessentially springlike.