Unlocking Memories

In the delicate dance between fragrance and memory, the scent of perfume can transport you to moments otherwise lost to time.

Words: BRITTANY REEVE

The idea that our sense of smell is linked to time has been around for hundreds of years. The instant that a scent conjures a memory is known as a Proustian moment, as Proust was among the first to write of its effects. It has been found that memories associated with smells are more likely to be remembered due to their evocative power. Scent is the closest thing we have to time travel; whether it’s the faint smell of food being cooked from a restaurant kitchen as you walk by, or the lingering cologne on an old coat. In an instant, you're transported back to a moment you may have long forgotten –perhaps a family dinner, a past romance, or a summer evening under the stars.

Perfume in particular is often the most evocative of memories, especially those linked to travel. I have a perfume that transports me back in time whenever I wear it. Bought by my mother for my sixteenth birthday, I wore it the summer when we toured Italy. Now when I put it on, I’m instantly whisked away to Lake Garda, listening to the bells of the church peeling in the night sky and the crash of waves against the shore – or I’m walking along the cobbles in Florence as a man plays a tune on his flute further down the street.

Crafting attar

The history of perfume spans centuries, with one of its earliest forms originating over 400 years ago in Kannauj, India. Attar, an essential oil derived from plants, is at the heart of this fragrant narrative. Known as degh-bhapka in Hindi, the artisanal method of creating attar uses copper stills fuelled by cow dung and wood.

Kannauj itself is a place lost to time, with archways a whisper of their former incarnation, when the city was part of the Harshavardhana Empire in the sixth century. Down the narrow lanes of the main market you’ll find shops displaying glass bottles of attar, and men sniffing vials and swiping perfumed cotton pads behind their ears.

You can watch as the craftsmen meticulously scoop rose petals into copper stills and top them with fresh water – the initial steps in the intricate process of attar-making. It will be many months before you’ll be able to smell the finished product of this exact rose attar, but the small bottles in the shops available for you to buy can serve as a reminder of the history of this small city.

A festival of flowers

Grasse, lovingly called the perfume capital of the world, earned its title by making scented gloves using local flowers and herbs. They were originally used to mask the odour of noblemen’s well-worn leather garments. Today, the city stands proudly as a UNESCO World Heritage site, a testament to its enduring legacy in the world of perfumery.

You’ll see an abundance of flowers here: iris, jasmine, violet and the stunning Centifolia rose that’s become the emblem of Grasse over the years. During the Rose Festival during the month of May, the entire town turns pink to commemorate the flower and those who produce it. With roses spread across the streets in captivating designs, and atomisers spraying the delicate scent of roses into the air, it’s a true celebration complete with dancing and music performances.

Jasmine is one of the blooms that first started Grasse’s perfume industry, and has been found in this region of France since the 17th century. It takes centre stage during the annual Fête du Jasmin, a lively celebration that takes place over the first weekend of August, spanning three days of vibrant festivities. During this event, the local community comes together to honour the region's perfume creators, flower growers, and, of course, the beloved jasmine.

You’ll long be whisked back to the French Riviera when you take one of their perfumes home. You can even choose from more than 100 essences to craft a personalised perfume, each spritz transporting you back to this enchanting town.

Incense-making

In Jiuzhaigou, China, the history of incense-making has been an important part of Tibetan culture for centuries. Crafted meticulously by hand, these incense sticks are composed solely of pure herbs, spices, and flowers. Unlike traditional incense, there's no bamboo stick here to hold everything together, making them truly distinctive.

There are many different types of incense, from rope incense to the famous Mindroling Monastery incense, for which the recipe is only known to a few lamas.

The act of making traditional Tibetan incense includes grinding your chosen wood, herbs and flowers into a paste with water and stones before squeezing it out through a bull horn. It isn’t just perfume that can hold memories of travel; light the end of an incense stick and let yourself be enveloped by scents of sandalwood, saffron and clove.

On the perfume river

Known for its Renaissance art and architecture, Florence is a city whose history is also infused with perfume. Just steps away from the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, on the outskirts, you’ll find Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, the world’s oldest pharmacy. It was founded by Dominican friars, and the production of scented waters here can be traced back to the late 1300s.

To mark its 800th anniversary, the Firenze 1221 Edition was unveiled: a tribute to the gift of Florentine noblewoman Caterina de' Medici to the future King of France, her husband for whom she left Florence. Acqua della Regina, meaning 'the queen's water,' is the oldest fragrance found within the pharmacy's historic walls.

A celebrated art

Perfume has long been part of Moroccan culture. Time-honoured techniques, such as steam distillation to extract essential oils from plants continue to be practised today.

In Marrakesh, the Musée du Parfum takes you through the journey of making a scent, from distillation to bottling, and the composition process at the perfume organ. Each room unveils the diverse stages of transforming raw materials into perfumes, cosmetics, body care products and well-being essentials. You can even sign up for a workshop to craft your own bespoke blend.