The second installment of our Notes series took place on Tuesday, July 19 and focused on ancient resins and balsams. These materials have been used in perfumery since antiquity and continue to enjoy widespread use in fragrances today. In an hour-long event hosted by Nicole Amzallag-Divine, attendees were afforded the opportunity to familiarize themselves with frankincense, myrrh, cistus labdanum and benzoin. Nicole discussed the history of these materials and their various applications over the years.
The attendees sample the various raw materials and record their impressions.
Smelling strips were dipped in diluted samples of various raw materials and placed in monclins, devices designed to provide the most accurate portrait of a scent.
Nicole describes frankincense resin is harvested from shrubs as an attendee samples the raw material.
Attendees engage with Nicole and Fumerie owner Tracy Tsefalas.
Nicole discusses the modern applications of frankincense and passes around smelling strips imbued with the aroma of fragrances that make use of the material.
An overview of the bar at Fumerie during the Ancient Resins event.
A view from behind the bar; in the foreground you can see the featured fragrances with smelling strips lined up and ready to be passed around to attendees.
Nicole takes questions from attendees.
In the foreground attendees record their impressions while Tracy and Nicole look on.