Welcome to Jorum Journal Issue 17
JORUM JOURNAL is a monthly glimpse behind the scenes at independent perfumers Jorum Studio. Find out what’s inspiring us, what’s motivating us, what we’re celebrating – the thoughts and stories behind our unique fragrances.
JUNE at Jorum Studio brought beautiful sunny days and long balmy evenings, the air laced with the scent of sun-warmed blooms.
This month we delved deep into Trimerous, our bestselling orris fragrance. Looking back at the development of much-loved perfumes is always a pleasure, and Trimerous was certainly a long time in the making!
Head to our blog to read more about the inspiration and science behind Trimerous.
Seasonal Scent: Summer Heat
Embrace the season with our curated selection of fragrances that celebrate summer's luscious, decadent haze – from raucous wildflower meadows, gentle summer-morning sunlight and tropical monsoons to sensual oiled skin and saline-sweet seaside frivolity.
Whether you're looking for the perfect everyday summer scent or something to take you into the night, our summer selection has something for every occasion.
GORSELAND
As neon gold blooms erupt from sun-bleached concrete crags, beauty and dereliction coexist.
Impression: Pineapple weed, Neroli oil, Chamomile, Gorseflower, Crab Apple, Lemon oil, Astilbe, Lavender Absolute.
Fade: Gooseberry, Milk-vetch, Elderflower, Catchfly, Woodruff, Gorsewood, Zdravetz, Kush Accord.
TRIMEROUS
Celebrating oft-forgotten facets of the revered orris root – effervescent, buttery, exalting – in a landscape of dewy, verglas and silvered woods.
Impression: Carrot Seed, Bergamot, Nectarine, Thyme, Cicely, Pink Pepper, Juniper, Cloudberry, Angelica Root.
Fade: Orris Butter, Kombucha, Centaury, Suede, Oud, Musk*, Ambergris, Styrax, Vanilla, Incense.
*of synthetic origin.
PARADISI
A beacon amongst the green.
Impression: Pear, Rhubarb, Grapefruit, Honeysuckle, Orange, Guava, Cucumber, Pink Pepper, Magnolia, Passionflower.
Fade: Tree Moss Absolute, Mushroom, Cedarwood, Patchouli, Soil.
PENTIMENTO
Unapologetically indulgent: a decadent cornucopia of moreish delights.
Impression: Tiaré, Orchid, Hazelnut, Broom Absolute.
Fade: Carob Absolute, Tobacco flower, Vanilla, Rum Absolute, Tonka Bean Absolute.
PHLOEM
Like a neon trident, vascular blooms rip through mercurial waters, provoking lucid dreams of Selkie skin-love.
Impression: Passion Fruit, Mulberry, Nasturtium, Honeysuckle, Rhubarb, Blaeberry, Camellia, Oysterplant.
Fade: Meadowsweet, Ambrette, Sesame, Amyris, Tonka Bean Absolute.
Reading List
All the Lovers in the Night by Mieko Kawakami
We loved Kawakami's unflinching observations on connection, isolation and obsession.
Gerhard Richter: Panorama – Revised Edition ed. Mark Godfrey, Nicholas Serota
Richter is one of our in-house master perfumer Euan's favourite artists.
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Remembering a great writer with this epic historical work, rich in vivid sensory imagery.
Material Focus: Stemone™
For this edition of Material Focus I decided to choose one of the most interesting, low-cost materials available to the niche perfumer – Stemone™.
It’s hard to sum up Stemone™ and it’s near endless capabilities and application in just a few words.
Stemone™ (or 5-methyl-3-heptanone oxime) lives in the green family of odourants but it’s more versatile than just providing a green tonality. Stemone™ is one of the materials you can’t live without as a working perfumer — it is relatively low cost, can be used to modify so many different materials and can positively transform a formula. Even more rudimentary formulations can be pushed in a more unique direction with the inclusion of Stemone™.
Combinations with grapefruit and related materials produce very synergistic results, add some vetiver and a harmonious, freshly distilled vetiver comes to life. Often I can use a few materials balanced just right to produce a very convincing vetiver note without using any vetiver, and it’s all held together by Stemone™
Using Stemone™ in relatively odd places produces interesting and fun results. I like combinations of Stemone™ with materials and sensations that can be obvious or unconventional. Combinations with materials such as frankincense, galbanum or mastic oil create alluring results and using Stemone™ to augment profiles such as gardenia, violet, blackcurrant, anise, rhubarb, tuberose, saffron, narcissus, lily of the valley, celery, bamboo, tuberose, privet and tomato produces quirky motifs, especially unexpected within our Scottish perfumes. Stemone™ with other manufactured materials like vertofix, isobutyl quinoline, floropal, petiole galbascone are worth noting as they create modern and contemporary accords.
Unless intended, I like when Stemone™ contributes within a profile by augmenting and modifying a sensation rather than sticking out too much. With that being said, I used a fairly aggressive amount of Stemone™ in Gorseland as I wanted the Stemone™ character to really push through, reinforcing the fig-like waxiness helping to convey the rich greens associated with gorse stems.
Like many of the intensely green materials, Stemone™ can impart a naturalness to citrus and creates a realistic citrus foliage sensation. Adding a little Stemone™ with a chosen citrus oil (mandarin, bergamot, orange, lemon etc.) will create a much more realistic end result should you desire. Some of the most exciting combinations are with mandarin and grapefruit oils (with galbanum and vetiver too!).