Its scent is reminiscent of a just-picked apple and a rose in its prime. But to the Japanese company Takasago that manufactures this synthetic material, it smells even sweeter.
Last year, that chemical concoction, whose trade name is Thesaron, became an essential ingredient in a new perfume, Silver Shadow Altitude, released by Davidoff, a brand owned by Coty. Playing a role in one of the most successful international fragrance brands...means the "molecule," as the industry refers to any such chemical, is highly profitable for Takasago.
— Read more in Ahhh, the Seductive Fragrance of Molecules Under Patent, by Chandler Burr in the New York Times. Thanks to Ruth for the link!
I wonder why he didn't even mention FIRMENICH, with their army of researchers, many Nobel Prizes and a huge history of chemical research. And he mentions the “small” Takasago!
I don't like when Chandler writes about chemistry without knowing anything about it and its history. It's just hilarious and unfair. I am upset because it's not journalism, it's rather PR.
The rose ketones he is speaking about are the damascones & damascenones (Nahema, Nombre Noir, and most of rose fragrances of today).
Octavian, I'm not clear on whether it was meant to be so comprehensive as to require him to mention all companies making aroma chemicals — and of course, we can't know what the Times cut from the original article.
It isn't a subject I care much about (I see one chemical name and my eyes glaze over) but since it is a subject matter most consumers are entirely unfamiliar with, it has to be a good thing that CB keeps covering it, no?
I don't know how important it is for the consumer … but it's like speaking about American perfumery without naming Estee Lauder.:) It's not easy to speak about synthetics when the readers do not have access to them and even more about captives those molecules you cannot get everywhere even as a perfumer. As for the article, I still think that Firmenich's name is important and relevant for the subject. And also that's one of the top most “secret” companies (and now number 2 after Givaudan merging with Quest).btw, is there any refference about Firmenich in his book?
I've read The Perfect Scent but don't have a copy — and don't remember everything he mentioned so will be no help. There is lots of stuff about aroma chemicals and I skimmed those parts at most; as I said, my eyes glaze over when I hear chemical names.
But for many readers, the whole discussion of synthetics (in the Times or in The Perfect Scent) will be an eye-opener in the sense that they've no idea what goes into fragrances. So I'd say it is important to the consumer on a general level, this particular consumer just doesn't want to hear the details.
Very interesting article and although I don't know anything about all this, what I understood is that the fragrance industry still may come up with many excellent and surprising fragrances.
Thank you Robin for adding this to your blog.
Glad you found it interesting
Can't thank you enough for sharing this link with us, Robin. Not only is it *interesting* — fascinating, actually — it really is excellent information for fragrance lovers who want to know what goes into modern fragrances, how molecular innovations can give the perfumer entirely new notes to play with and us exciting new notes to enjoy, how the economic side of things is influenced, and how captives work on a practical level in the totally unique, effective ways that they do. Keep up the good work!
Hey, then it is Chandler Burr who must keep up the good work, all I did was quote & link