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Perfumery creators have been incorporating fruity and gourmand fragrances into their creations for years. Among these, the delicate note of quince has been recreated to enhance floral and fruity scents.
The Quince and Its Delicate Scents Inspiring Beautiful Legends
Quince, the fruit of the quince tree, originates from the southern Caucasus. There are many quince tree varieties, but the most popular come from Crete, particularly Cydon, giving rise to the nickname "Cydonia pear." For the Greeks, quince symbolizes love, happiness, and fertility; they even dedicated the fruit to the goddess Venus and adorned their temples with it.
Introduced to Europe by the Romans, who consumed and made perfumes from its seeds, quince brought its sweet legend of fruitful happiness to European countries, where it was offered at weddings to ensure the newlyweds' fertility. Perfumery has sought to recreate the fruit's subtly tangy and sweet scent to enhance fragrances with this delightful love apple.
Fun fact: The term "marmalade" originally referred to a preserve made from quince, derived from the Portuguese word "marmelo" which means quince.
The Tangy and Sweet Delights of Quince in Perfumery
Quince's sweet and fruity note is most commonly found in the olfactory family of gourmand florals and fruity florals. Often used as a top note, quince's velvety and subtle scents entice the senses and introduce elegant floral fragrances. One of the first scents to feature the quince note is "Love of Pink" by Lacoste, released in 2009, which combines it with citrus and passion fruit to create a romantic and invigorating juice.
In 2010, Chanel's "CHANCE Eau Tendre" incorporated quince with grapefruit as a top note to offer a captivating green, fruity, and spicy introduction that transitions smoothly to white flowers and an amber wood base. That same year, "English Pear & Freesia" by Jo Malone featured quince in a floral and fruity fragrance as a top note, paired with rhubarb for a fresh, green aroma.
More recent creations like Penhaligon's woody floral Vaara or My Burberry also employ quince as a top note, adding a twist by blending it with spices or carrot seeds to emphasize the stewed fruit aspect of quince.
Fun fact: Quince is believed to be the fruit mentioned in the Song of Solomon, often mistranslated as "apple."
Quince is primarily used in floral and fruity scents, offering a relatively original touch compared to other ingredients. The scent of quince, similar to that of figs, evokes both a singular aroma and beautiful memories. Deeply connected to emotions, quince creates fresh and sparkling fragrances with a nostalgic flavor, thanks to unique combinations of ingredients.
