What does Night Queen Flower smell like?
The night queen note smells of white flowers in the dark: creamy, slightly vanillic, with a sweetness close to jasmine and tuberose. It has an almost narcotic side. A green touch sometimes comes through, like a juicy stem. On skin the accord adds roundness and sensuality to the heart of a perfume, without the strong indolic edge of pure jasmine.
Origin and production
Several plants share the name. The best known is Selenicereus grandiflorus, a tropical American cactus whose large white flower opens for one night only. The name also covers Cestrum nocturnum, or night-blooming jasmine, a shrub that turns very fragrant at dusk. None of these is used in perfumery. The note is an accord built from white-flower molecules.
How perfumers use it
Night queen gives a floral a nocturnal colour. It pairs with jasmine, orange blossom, vanilla and sandalwood. Dior Addict (2002) makes it one of the pillars of its heart, with orange blossom, in a dense vanilla oriental. Mugler Alien Flora Futura (2018) combines it with clover and jasmine. Serge Lutens Fils de Joie (2020) opens with it alongside jasmine and honey.
How to wear it
As the name says, it is an evening note. Dior Addict suits autumn and winter, one or two sprays on skin. Any more and it gets heady fast.