In 1828, a pillar of the perfumed establishment was founded by Pierre-François-Pascal: the mighty Guerlain. That founding year also saw the creation of Pascal’s ‘Royal Extract of Flowers‘ – the name evoking the fact that Guerlain once supplied the greatest courts in Europe with precious fragrances.
And now, with the help of Guerlain’s in-house perfumer, Thierry Wasser, Royal Extract has been reimagined today, exclusively revived this time for Harrods…
Having once been reintroduced for an ultra-limited run in 2014, it would be safe to say we’re very excited about getting our noses around this properly. We previously hosted two exclusive events at the Guerlain Archives in Paris, where our Perfume Society guests got to smell Wasser’s re-creations of some of the most beautiful (and sadly, long-discontinued) scents that span their history: it should be worth the wait!
So, what exactly does it smell like?
Guerlain say: ‘A bouquet of scents, rose, jasmine and tuberose, which thrill and surprise. The heart releases a heady peach note that unfolds to voluptuous notes of vanilla, heightened by iris and balsamic notes. All of Guerlain’s perfume expertise is displayed in this majestic and captivating amber fruity eau de parfum dedicated to Harrods.’
The original version having been dabbed on the décolletage of aristocrats and fanned across ballrooms, it’s always thrilling to think of a wearing a fragrance of the past – to smell of history – but usually rather difficult to live with in actuality. Some may turn their noses up at ‘reformulated’ perfumes, but regulations, modern taste and scarcity of protected ingredients all play their part, and this is no mere copy of the original but a ‘re-orchestration’, if you will.
Guerlain Royal Extract £320 for 125ml eau de parfum
Exclusive to Harrods
Written by Suzy Nightingale
