Thurible Incense Accord

Resins are some of my favourite raw materials to work with, specifically Frankincense and Benzoin. This ’Thurible Incense’ accord is based on ancient ratios used in western church incense blends that feature these two raw materials along with Myrrh and Styrax, which are generally also standard parts of the global blend. I am often asked by students and clients alike about how Bertrand Duchaufour translated the smells and impressions of the Papal Palace and cathedral at Avignon into a scent that is both recognisable as the incense burned during masses and wearable as a fragrance. Here I have included touches of various materials to enhance the wearability & longevity, softening a purely smoked incense accord into one appropriate for fine fragrance by pushing it into a comfortable, woody amber that still feels reminiscent of my own memories of Avignon and the many cathedrals of Western Europe. The key was to achieve the appropriate ratios of resins for a linear effect of incense that lasts through the evolution of the accord: the terpenic notes from the essential oils, enhanced with coniferous notes (Fir Balsam, Pine Oil Siberia, Juniper Berry) & Aldehyde C12 MNA; their respective resinoids, which are deeper and more richly balsamic; the woody & ambery texture with materials like Cedarwood Virginia, Cistus, Ambrocenide and Norlimbanol, et al; and, of course, the smoked note, to give the impression of the charcoal briquette heating the resins and wisps of smoke rising from the thurible itself, achieved here with materials like Rum Ether, Cade, Cypriol Heart, Fumencens HTC, and Sumatran Benzoin, which is smokier than Siam, also included. Materials like Iso E Super give space to the accord, while touches of Patchouli, Methyl Ionone Gamma, Vanillin Natural ex Clove, Labdanum and others give a smoky, powdery amber effect to the scent in dry down, further smoothed and enhanced by the choice of traces of woody-musky materials, notably the Vertofix, Z11, and Cashmeran. Too, Bertrand used touches of Roman Chamomile, Rosewood and Ambrette seed in Avignon, and I have incorporated those aspects here: a small trace of Chamomile, Linalool Natural in place of Rosewood (though Rosewood or Ho Wood would work nicely), and Dihydroambrettolide, the hydrogenated version of Ambrettolide (the key musk in Ambrette Seed); here the hydrogenated version exalts the woodier aspects of the overall accord but normal Ambrettolide or even Helvetolide would suit the composition well and using only the musk component comes without the large percentage of Farnesol that you get with natural Ambrette (though for natural perfumers it could still work). I hope you enjoy the accord and if you have questions feel free to ask! Also, remember to play with the materials and their ratios. Try substituting or altering the formula to see what it can become for you. The sky is the limit!