The latest launch from Jorum Studio is a slight departure from our usual progressive effort. Although still pushing the technical limits of perfumery, the basis for Athenaeum is very much rooted in nostalgia.

 

 

Athenaeum Eau de Parfum

Impression: Scottish Lavender, Beeswax*, Fennel, Apple, Honey.

Fade: Neroli oil, Hyacinth, Flouve, Patchouli, Morocco Leather*, Gurjun Balsam, Oak, Ink.

Olfacticality: Knurled, waxen, smudged, pulpy, sun-warmed, hazy.

*of synthetic origin.

It was a sunny Wednesday afternoon in Edinburgh when Euan and I found ourselves in need of a bit of a break. We spent the day wandering the streets of Edinburgh, as we often do when we are seeking respite. Walking past the National Library – a fascinating place with an equally interesting story to tell – we decided to enter.

Stepping into the library, which is one of the largest in the UK, you’re welcomed by the overwhelming scent of paper. Naturally. But this is no ordinary paper, it’s a paper that has served readers for far longer than we have lived. On overarching pulpy scent is accompanied by notes of leather and oak, with a warm, oily quality of well-thumbed pages and a hint of hot tarmac from the pavement outside.

For Euan, the perfumer behind all of the Jorum Studio perfumes, he was transported back to summer childhoods spent reading in the countryside and was charmed by the shared olfactory fingerprint that both his past and his present shared.

For a creation so personal to Euan, it was only fitting that we kept a piece of Scotland in every bottle. As well as notes of Fennel, Apple and Neroli, Athenaeum showcases Scottish Lavender, the produce of Scottish Lavender Oils located a stone’s throw from where Euan grew up and a short drive from our perfume laboratory in Edinburgh.

Athenaeum Eau de Parfum is part of the ongoing Selective Memory collection and available in 30ml from jorumstudio.com and selected retailers.