What does Narcissus smell like?
Narcissus opens on a green, earthy note like a freshly cut stem, then reveals a honeyed, almost heady heart. In the background come facets of hay, tobacco and leather, along with a discreet animalic quality. Very powerful, it has to be dosed carefully. On skin it gives a bouquet a dense, slightly wild texture, far from the dewy freshness usually associated with spring flowers.
Origin and production
Narcissus absolute is made from Narcissus poeticus, the poet's narcissus, whose flowers are harvested notably on the high plateaus of Lozère in France. The blossoms are solvent-extracted into a concrete and then an absolute, with a very low yield. Narcissus is often confused with jonquil, Narcissus jonquilla, whose even rarer absolute is softer. Both have been used in classic perfumes.
How perfumers use it
Narcissus is used in the heart, in small amounts, to deepen a bouquet. It pairs with rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, oakmoss and leathers. Miss Dior, launched in 1947, sets it beside jasmine and galbanum in a green chypre, Calvin Klein's Eternity includes it in a luminous bouquet, and Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds weaves it into an opulent aldehydic floral. In each, it adds shadow.
How to wear it
Best in spring and autumn, narcissus appeals to lovers of complex, slightly vintage florals who like flowers with character.
