Condensed Milk Accord

This accord, for me, specifically recalls cooking condensed milk over the stove in Grasse, France with a friend who is the Scientific Director of the Musée Internationale de la Parfumerie (@mip_grasse). It combines milky and creamy raw materials with some of the naturalistic, butyric facets inherent to dairy, which can be somewhat unpleasant to some noses if smelled on their own. These cheesy or buttery facets are balanced with materials that recall the many facets of condensed milk’s depth and sweetness: vanilla, caramel, smoky burnt sugar from the bottom of the pan, custard-like effects, nutty/toasted tonka and maple-like fruity notes, etc. To finish the accord and to make it more sensible for a fine fragrance application, there is a musk complex similar in profile to something like the supremely silken accord found in Musc Ravageur, which can be added or subtracted depending on the level of naturality the perfumer wishes to evoke. Too, the levels of milkiness, sweetness, etc. are all meant to be adjusted to the perfumer’s personal taste; we don’t all have the same experience with this food product! Happy blending.