It is time to reveal the new hero note in our first release in the upcoming collection! Together with perfumer Michael Nordstrand we are working with Elderflower as our next note to explore! A suggestive, luminous and contrasting interpretation, now in the making.

In this second conversation, Michael reflects on the note of elderflower in his work.

What emotions do you associate the most with elderflower?

Michael: Elderflower for me is emotionally quite complex. The living flowers are unmistakably joyful; the extracts, though, represent a range of feelings. They can feel radiant and effervescent, like a cool draught on a Midsummer afternoon, but they can also feel quite pensive, almost moody and autumnal.

I personally often think of time spent picking the flowers on very early mornings in May and June to make fläderblomssaft, and enjoying it with freshly picked raspberries when it was ready.

"The exploration of light and dark in perfumery is as old as the craft itself, but some materials really lend themselves to that kind of exploration."

As a perfumer, how do you work with elderflower?

Michael: I work with Elderflower by respecting its contradictions. The CO₂ extract and the absolute could not be more different! The cordial-like CO₂ is energetic, honeyed and fruity, with a distinctive fennel pollen nuance that gives it a lot of personality.

The absolute, by contrast, is markedly introspective: anisic and dark, like caraway seed or toasted rye bread; it’s not floral at all. The exploration of light and dark in perfumery is as old as the craft itself, but some materials really lend themselves to that kind of exploration.