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Teak, tonka bean and coumarin
Brazilian teak, native to the Caribbean and South America, produces to its full height many small fruits which are called tonka beans. In its raw state, the flavor of the tonka bean is roasted and almondy, reminiscent of caramel or dried hay, but it is during its transformation that the magic operates!
Once harvested, the tonka bean is dried and then macerated for 24 hours in rum to be dried again after operation. As a result of these transformations, small coumarin crystals appear on the surface and they are the ones that will give the tonka bean the delicious powdery smell that we know it from. The tonka beans will then be powdered in order to obtain absolute oil.
Although producing powdery notes, the tonka bean is used in perfumery in perfumes as well oriental feminine, amber or flowery as masculine in fern or woody notes.
Guerlain perfumes and the tonka bean: a beautiful love story!
One of the very first perfumes to use the tonka bean was Jicky by Guerlain, not to mention that the precious bean is part of the original composition of the famous Guerlinade created in the 19th century. With Jicky Aimé Guerlain dares to challenge the women of 1889 by offering them a new fragrance propelled by relatively classic aromatic citrus top notes while offering them heart notes of vanilla and tonka bean offering them spices and curves. Unfortunately these ladies were not conquered, while the male gente snatched this perfume so captivating!
In 1912, Guerlain will try again to use its precious tonka bean to create L'Heure Bleue, which this time will be a great success and certainly one of the brand's most emblematic juices, even today. hui. By creating this floral-spicy, Guerlain offers a unique amber fluffy note that revolves around the power and sweetness of vanilla and tonka bean to offer a bouquet of iris and violet flowers to ladies who particularly love the beautiful flowers with character.
We are not mistaken, not the tonka bean is the raw material of perfumes that have character! Although they often appear in floral-citrus feminine fragrances such as Tonka by Réminiscence or even Insolence by Guerlain, the tonka bean is of course the ally of great oriental fragrances such as Shalimar or Samsara. Still from Guerlain. For masculine fragrances, on the other hand, the roundness of its facets more often evokes vanilla and sweet accords in Armani Code or even Allure pour homme. The tonka bean, a little nugget of the Caribbean, has continued to amaze us with its multiple fragrant powers!
