What does Bay Leaf smell like?
Crush a bay leaf and the first thing you notice is a camphor-cool freshness, almost minty. A warmer note follows, somewhere between clove and nutmeg. It stays dry and clean, without the sweetness of baking spices. In perfume, bay doesn't last long in the top, but it leaves an herbal trace that clings to woods and amber. Think bouquet garni, not bakery.
Origin and production
Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) grows wild around the Mediterranean. The ancient Greeks dedicated it to Apollo and crowned winners of the Pythian Games with it. The essential oil is steam-distilled from the leaves. Its main component is cineole, also called eucalyptol, which explains the fresh side. Linalool and a little eugenol complete it. Don't confuse it with West Indian bay (Pimenta racemosa), richer in eugenol, which gave barbershop bay rum its name.
How perfumers use it
Bay sits in the top or heart, where it bridges citrus and woods. It works with juniper, lavender, pepper and labdanum. Paco Rabanne Invictus (2013) puts it in the heart of a marine woody scent whose Latin name and trophy bottle are all about winning. In Ambre Sultan (1993), Serge Lutens and Christopher Sheldrake use it to cool a dense resinous amber. Le Labo pairs it with black tea and bergamot in Thé Noir 29.
How to wear it
Bay works year-round, with autumn its best season. Ambre Sultan is dense, so one spray will do. Invictus Legend can take a more generous hand outdoors.