Escentric
Molecules
Art & Chemistry
A cult phenomenon that revolutionised the world of modern perfumery.
The fragrances are presented in binary pairs. Each pair explores one aroma-molecule in two different ways.
1. Escentric The Escentric fragrance highlights the unique character of the aroma-molecule with ingredients chosen to bring out its key facets.
2. Molecule The Molecule fragrance is radically minimalist. It contains no odorants except the aroma-molecule, pure and singular.
—— Geza Schoen
Escentric
Molecules 01
Iso E Super
Iso E Super is a molecule that hovers close to the skin to create an indefinable aura round the wearer.
It is characterised by a hyper-modern cedarwood note with a velvety sensation.
Perfumer Geza Schoen explains its allure: “Iso E Super is one of those skin-sexy scents that makes you want to nestle into it. “It’s comforting, cocooning.” Iso E Super has a marked intermittence. To the wearer, it seems to vanish and then re-appear. This is due to the way it bonds with receptors in the olfactory system, only slowly releasing to make way for a fresh charge of the molecule on the receptors.
Iso E Super does not exist in nature. It was created in a laboratory at IFF in 1973.
Escentric 01 focuses on Iso E Super at 65% of the fragrance compound in an abbreviated formula designed to maximise the molecule’s efflorescence. It contains lime peel, hedione (green jasmine bud), orris, balsamic notes, and fresh musk.
Geza Schoen: “I wanted to create something unconventional, not too perfumistic, something for my friends who said they didn’t like fragrance.”
Escentric Molecules 01 celebrates the hyper-abstraction of Iso E Super in two different fragrances.
—— Launched in 2006
Molecule 01 is a modern classic, one that I like to compare with Malevich’s Black Square, a monochrome canvas from 1913 that prompts indignation in many people, even today, since: “Anyone can paint a black square!” Which may be so — but only Malevich thought to do so.
—— Helder Suffenplan, Scentury, February 2016
Escentric
Molecules 02
AMBROXAN™
AMBROXAN™ has a subtle sensual quality with a radiant, long-lasting drydown.
It is a crystal with a chemical structure identical to the ambrox derived from ambergris. For centuries ambergris was perhaps the most prized ingredient in perfumery. It is a somewhat mysterious substance expelled by the cachalot or sperm whale which only attains its fine scent after a long maturation floating in the ocean. Ambergris is rarely found these days, and the ‘amber’ in a modern fragrance will be a lab-created equivalent of some of the aroma-molecules that make up its scent.
By far the finest of these is the nature-identical molecule, AMBROXAN™. Ambergris was always valued for its refinement as well as its sensuality. This quality persists in AMBROXAN™.
AMBROXAN™ was isolated from plant sources in 1950.
Escentric Molecules 02 celebrates the fresh and sensual resonance of nature-identical AMBROXAN™ in two different fragrances.
—— Launched in 2008
“It has a fresh almost mineral quality,” says perfumer, Geza Schoen, “that lingers into the drydown.
Escentric
Molecules 03
Vetiveryl Acetate
Vetiveryl Acetate could be described as a hybrid molecule, half-natural, half-synthetic. It is a fraction of vetiver oil, distilled from the roots of an Indian grass, which is then ‘crossed’ with acetic acid to remove the bitter and leathery aspects of the root.
The result is an elegant and refined molecule with the woody, slightly grassy character of vetiver, but far smoother and softer. “Acetylation also brings out the grapefruit touch in vetiver,” says Geza Schoen, “giving a more pronounced bitter-fresh top note.”
Escentric 03 focuses on Vetiveryl Acetate in a formula that pays tribute to the three roots used in perfumery: vetiver, ginger and orris, which is extracted from the roots of the Florentine iris. “I wanted Escentric 03 to bring out the scent impressions of these roots,” says Geza Schoen, “and show how they harmonise with each other.”
Ginger dominates the top note, which is vibrant, green and spicy with lime peel and green peppercorn. The heart is rich, velvety orris with Egyptian jasmine and tea notes. The drydown emphasises the dark green woodiness of vetiver together with sandalwood, cedar, mellow balsams and musk.
Molecule 03 consists of Vetiveryl Acetate, pure and singular.
Escentric Molecules 03 celebrates Vetiveryl Acetate, a hybrid of natural root + synthetic, in two different fragrances.
—— Launched in 2010
Acetylation also brings out the grapefruit touch in vetiver, giving a more pronounced bitter-fresh top note.
—— Geza Schoen
Escentric
Molecules 04
Javanol
Javanol is a sandalwood-type molecule that retains the radiance and endurance of natural sandalwood, but is sheer and transparent like no sandalwood in nature.
“What I love about Javanol is its almost psychedelic freshness,” says Geza Schoen. “It smells as if liquid metallic grapefruit peel were poured over a bed of velvety cream-coloured roses.”
Javanol is like Iso E Super, the molecule in Escentric Molecules 01, in some ways. Like Iso E Super, it comes and goes. The person wearing it loses the ability to smell it after a short while,
only to re-connect with it later.
Javanol does not exist in nature. It was created in a laboratory at Givaudan in 1996.
Escentric 04 focuses on Javanol in a formula that highlights the grapefruit accent in the molecule. The result is a uniquely fresh interpretation of a sandalwood fragrance, fizzing with crisp, bitter
topnotes of pink grapefruit peel with added zest of lime. Juniper and pink pepper give an extra shot of freshness, and marijuana brings out the softer quality of the grapefruit pith.
The heart is orris with a ‘fresh soft rose’ composed from four different rose ingredients. The drydown is balsamic and woody with Javanol in combination with the somewhat sweeter
sandalwood molecule, Polysantol.
Escentric Molecules 04 celebrates the futuristic freshness of Javanol, a sheer sandalwood molecule, in two different fragrances.
—— Launched in 2017
In the other Escentric fragrances I used a huge amount of the Molecule, But Javanol is like truffles. A few slices of truffle shaved on top of your pasta are enough to transport you to heaven.
—— Geza Schoen
