The heady scent of tuberose

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Tuberose is a flower made for the heat of summer. Its waxy white flowers release such a vivid scent that it works best in the extremes. It blooms at night and, such are its hypnotic and narcotic tendencies, legend has it that tuberose was not kept by the bed, for fear that it would cause headaches and hallucinations. And, of course, it’s sexy to the point of obsession; Victorian maidens were forbidden to inhale the scent in case they were overwhelmed with desire. Many highlight its creaminess and complexity, but for me it is pure white warmth.

Frédéric Malle’s Carnal Flower perfume claims to contain by far the highest concentration of natural tuberose in the industry. Its creator, Dominique Ropion, uses Baudelaire’s concept of “corrupt” perfume to describe it, while Malle likens the perfume to one of the poet’s characters: an innocent who becomes nasty and then, finally, lovable again. “The paradox of tuberose,” says Malle, “is that it smells like a flower and at the same time attracts you like a magnet.”

Frederic Malle Carnal Blossom, £190 for 50ml EDP

Hermes Twilly d’Hermès, £92 for 85ml EDP

Last summer, the tuberose story took on a new dimension. While the flower is native to Mexico, the crops grown in Grasse in southern France are the stuff of perfume legend, and many were terribly affected by the drought. For some farmers, flower yields were cut in half, with tuberose being mentioned as being particularly affected. (The city’s mayor, Jérôme Viaud, asked the government to declare it a natural disaster.)

Such a vivid scent, it’s sexy to the point of obsession.

It will be a while before we know the full impact of the drought on the perfume industry. But it’s not a climate trend that seems likely to go away. As a result, some of the newest summer-perfect floral fragrances are already aware of the fragility of their contents.

Floral Street was founded in 2017 by Michelle Feeney, a beauty industry executive who oversaw major growth at companies like Mac and St Tropez, and is known for identifying the “next big things.” The tuberose in their Covent Garden candle (named for the flower market) is sourced in India. It has a clarity and simplicity rarely associated with the big, commanding aromas of tuberose, and it’s all the more enchanting for it.

sisley tuberose candle, £66

floral street Covent Garden Candle, £38

healthy garden Jaipur Singing, £95 for 50ml EDP

Perfumer H. Flower No 1, £150 for 50ml EDP

But Feeney thinks perfume houses need to be more open to the idea of ​​using “nature-identical” ingredients, which replicate natural molecules, where they are the more responsible choice. “Sometimes you absolutely should wear them,” she says. “We are vegans, so [already] use nature-identical versions of things like ambergris. I think the industry should come together more on this.”

Sana Jardin was one of the first perfume houses to take a radically sustainable approach to sourcing, calling its socially responsible model a “floral revolution.” It has a beautiful tuberose: Jaipur Chant, a lush and absorbing scent with jasmine absolute and narcissus. Another bouquet of white flowers, this time a little softer and rounded with a base of sandalwood and white musk, is Flower No 1, Perfumer H’s languid summer flower: for the city as well as the holidays.

And if you don’t think tuberose is for you? sustainable brand phlur describes Phloria as “a white floral fragrance for those who think they don’t like it”. The tuberose heart of it is a nature-identical synthetic, and the addition of spicy greens and top notes keeps it spirited, rather than overly sexy.

Tuberose isn’t for everyone, but let’s hope the future of sustainable sourcing means we at least still have a choice.