Welcome to a perfumer's blog on perfumery

On our way up, but still down in Walenstadt, we visited a micro distillery. I happen to enjoy some of their products from time to time and was curious to learn more about this early retired teacher who creates pieces of art. He ferments everything (contrary to what you get around the corner, where fruits are just mixed with alcohol and later distilled) and has a distillation apparatus that was designed by himself and allows distillation at reduced pressure. When you get there at his place, you would get a coffee, cheese and are invited to test whatever he has.
He has a well trained nose that is his only guide when distilling. In a sense, his craft is quite similar to perfumery. And like in perfumery, it matters very much what you put in. Here, is is critical what you put into the fermentation pot. Take cheap apples, and you will certainly feel the difference!

“Well then”, he replies on the question what he will do if some starting materials are not available anymore, “well, then there will be no schnaps. But this is the way it is. Nothing I can do about.” He is right, and I guess the same is true for perfumery. Things come and go. Most of the time, however, perfumes go because the clients don’t buy enough for modern marketing departments. Things come and go too fast these days.

So we bought the last! 1 litre bottle of a pear schnapps, that he made from fruits from trees that are cut down by now. Old, very old pear trees, unknown breed, maybe irreplaceable. There is an organization here in Switzerland, trying to save such old breeds that are at the edge of getting extinct, called “pro specie rara”, making sure that important genetic traits are conserved for future generations (website in D, F, I: http://www.prospecierara.ch/).
Prost, cheers, nastrovje!
(the distillery)
(what comes out)

…there still is room for more! And much more, and even more. And so…here we have the newest RĂªverie au jardin post, on a blog that has just started to exist and will -snap!- end on my blogline feed list!

Enjoy RĂªverie on Vetivress! …and a thank you from my side to Williamburg, NY!

I am at a conference today. Thus, no perfumery work. 
The soul is still slowly travelling back from the mountains and the wonderful natural fragrances up there. Like wild thyme (I think it is wild thyme) that you find there around every corner. A fragrance that -compared to the variety I used to grow in my garden- is rougher and more herbaceous. Less sophisticated, earthier, too. It is as if the rough environment is mirrored. Crushing the leavings fills the air between your fingers with a wild mountain green spicy delight.

Time to run out of the house….

 (wild thyme, seen above flums at about 1200 m above sea)

…this is true for perfumers, and for stock markets. (I wonder whether the “M” we see developing in the overview graph is the tipping point….time to get out folks!?) And coming down is usually easier than going up, again true for stock markets, and true for ones blood pumping mechanism,  less true for ones knees.

Yes, you guessed right, the nose went up there, staying with friends, hiking yesterday, and moving 70 kg up from 1500 meters above sea level to some 2100 (the W. factor knows the exact number).
The reward: A wonderful view. Sometimes one has to go all the way up to see clearly what’s happening down there. And going up there is the ideal time to think. Time for inspirations, and plans and a clear vision of things ahead.
On our way up a flower carpet; scented pastures with patches of wild roses, wild thyme and more. The upcoming week will feature more pictures and some more reflections on things down there and up there.