Cognac In Perfume

Perfume Notes Uncovered

Sometimes the ‘notes’ listed on a fragrance don’t tell you the full story.

It’s much easier for everyone when a brand simply says "This has notes of peach", rather than gives you the full "This contains an aldehyde, called C14 Undecane that evokes the scent of peach"...

In the words of British Perfumer Sarah McCartney, "Ingredients are the input, notes are the output" and this means that often the input contain hidden origin stories, some with fascinating histories and technical know-how.

One such ingredient, is Cognac.


Cognac in perfume is not literally just cognac in perfume.

In the 15th Century the Dutch developed a technique known as distillation which gave wine makers the ability to preserve their drink for transportation.

By the 16th Century, Dutch Traders were regularly visiting the city of Cognac in France, famed for its spectacular wines. In order to transport it home they started using this distilling technique. The drink became known as 'Brandwijn', translated to 'Burnt Wine', which eventually became shortened to simply 'Brandy'.

Whilst the production of Brandy expanded to different materials and regions, the Brandy from the Cognac Region became known as a specific type, simply referred to as Cognac.

The drink itself is made from white grapes and is aged in large oak barrels. Towards the end of the fermentation process there’s is a residue left at the bottom of the barrel, known as the ‘lees’ and this is where perfumery gets involved.

An oil can be extracted from this residue, which for commercial terms is referred to as ‘Cognac’ oil, but is much more detailed in scent.

It’s sweet, a bit vanillic, sometimes a bit fruity and often has an oaky scent that it’s kept from the barrel, not the drink.

FRAGRANCES WITH COGNAC
Aleksandr by Arquiste
Conquistador by Franck Muller
Note Vanillée by Parfums M.Micallef