Cabinet of Floral Aromas
Flowers captivate more than just our sight–they also engage our other senses. In perfumery, they are classified into three main categories based on their scent profile and origin.
White Flowers
Known for their intense and enveloping scent, white flowers offer sweet or citrusy aromas, often with fresh and clean undertones. Their fragrance conveys a sense of purity, serenity, and tranquility.
Flowers of the Rose Family
Ranging from soft and subtle to rich and opulent, the scent of roses is elegant, romantic, and timeless, evoking a sense of classic beauty.
Other Flowers
This category includes flowers that do not fit within the white flower or rose family classifications due to differences in olfactory profile, shape, color, or texture. Their diverse fragrances can be fresh, sweet, fruity, or spicy.
This space was created in collaboration with the Museum of Perfume (MUPE).
WHITE FLOWER – YLANG YLANG (Cananga odorata)
This flower exudes a sweet, floral, exotic, and warm fragrance, with notes of tropical fruits, vanilla, and subtle spices. Its rich and enveloping aroma lends it a sensual and romantic character.
Ylang ylang is a tropical flower native to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands—particularly the Philippines and Indonesia—as well as certain regions of India. Today, it is recognized as one of the most distinguished and valued floral essences.
Its vibrant yellow flowers stand out with their long, curved petals. A mature tree can produce between 20 and 30 kilograms of flowers each season. However, extracting just one kilo of its essence requires between 350 and 400 kilograms of flowers.
Featured perfumes: N° 5 by Chanel, Samsara by Guerlain, and Nardo by MUPE.
Ylang Ylang in the Exhibition:
Manila, the capital of the Philippines, was connected to Mexico through the Manila Galleon trade route and became the center of ylang ylang production during the 19th century. This flower serves as yet another example of the transoceanic exchange between East and West, which has enriched our floral traditions.
FLOWER OF THE ROSE FAMILY – GERANIUM (Pelargonium hortorum)
Geranium essential oil has a floral and slightly fruity scent, with hints of rose, mint, and citrus. Its well-balanced fragrance is soft, and sweet, with herbal and green notes that add freshness and sophistication to perfume compositions.
The oil is primarily extracted through steam distillation of the plant’s leaves and stems, though the flowers can also yield oil, albeit less commonly.
Originally from South Africa, geranium is now cultivated in many parts of the world, particularly in regions such as Egypt, China, India, and the Mediterranean.
Featured perfumes: Fougère Royale by Houbigant, Miss Dior Rose N’Roses.
Geranium in the Exhibition:
Geraniums, alongside bougainvillea and carnations, define the character of Mediterranean basin’s balconies, terraces, and gardens. Their unmistakable scent is an enduring part of the region’s floral heritage.
OTHER FLOWER – VIOLET (Viola odorata)
Beta-ionone, a natural compound that mimics the scent of violets, gives the flower its soft, floral, and slightly sweet fragrance with a delicate powdery nuance. Highly valued in perfumery, violet evokes a sense of refinement and elegance.
Its aromatic components are extracted using solvent extraction or enfleurage, a traditional technique in which fats absorb the flower’s scent. Due to the complexity and high cost of this process, synthetic ionone is often used to recreate violet’s signature aroma in perfumes.
Violets are native to Europe and Western Asia, found in countries such as France—particularly in the Grasse region, a renowned center for perfumery—Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Russia.
Featured perfumes: Paris by YSL, Flower by Kenzo, and Jamaica by MUPE.
Violet in the Exhibition:
In the 19th century, violet was a signature fragrance among aristocratic women, as depicted in the portraits of Pelegrín Clavé and Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. Associated with the hygiene movement of the era, it became synonymous with the scent of cleanliness.