Flora Danica: Images of Denmark
Written by Paul Leung
Review from a Reader
Can a perfume house create a fragrance line that conjures up images of Denmark?
Photo: Paul Leung
That’s what Flora Danica, a niche Danish perfume house, are trying to do. Earlier this year, Flora Danica released four perfumes: 1761, Flower Muse, Soul Garden and Amber Echo. Flora Danica have stated that through their inaugural fragrance line, they strive to create olfactory references to Danish life and nature.
It should thus come as no surprise that Flora Danica’s business model leans heavily into the Danish imagination. The name of the perfume house itself is a reference to the Flora Danica encyclopaedia, a comprehensive catalogue of Denmark’s native wild plants that was published between the years of 1761 to 1883. Flora Danica perfumes can be purchased from some of Denmark’s largest health and beauty retailers. And to represent the brand, Flora Danica have employed several well-known Danish models (one of whom is even a member of the Danish royal family).
But do the perfumes themselves manage to evoke images – or rather, smells – of Denmark? Do the four Flora Danica perfumes capture the essences of Denmark?
To celebrate my acquisition of Danish permanent residency, I would like to buy a perfume that pays homage to Denmark. And I can’t think of a better way to find “my quintessential Danish fragrance” than by purchasing a Flora Danica discovery set. In sampling the perfumes, perhaps I will find a scent that will remind me of my now permanent home.
Because it starts with a fresh peppery lemon zing before slowly mellowing out into a deep oak and patchouli base, 1761 reminds me of the Danish penchant for freshly mopped wood floors and natural furnishings. Whenever I get whiffs of this fragrance, I recall the smells of a chic Danish home after a thorough spring cleaning. I feel like I am stretching out over newly cleaned wood floors or cosily lounging in a recently polished Hans J Wegner chair every time I wear this perfume.
I’ll admit that Flower Muse is my least favourite perfume in the line, but that’s not to say that it’s a bad fragrance. I struggle to translate the Danish idiomatic use of the word frisk into English, so for now I’ll simply describe the perfume’s sweet pea, poppy and lavandin notes as “light and refreshing”. And the orris base note is subtle and sweet. But overall, I find Flower Muse a bit too non-offensive, and thus lacking a distinct personality. It ultimately reminds me of a popular Danish body wash that is branded as “neutral”.
Photo: Paul Leung
I personally think that Soul Garden is a unique blend of floral and gourmand. The perfume contains floral middle notes, like elderflower, which is also a common summer drink flavour in Scandinavia. And because of its peppery top note and sweet vanilla amber base note, Soul Garden reminds me of quintessential Scandinavian pastries like peppery cardamom buns and spandauer. Every time I wear Soul Garden, I feel like I am sitting in a leafy green garden and enjoying a pastry from my favourite neighbourhood café.
Amber Echo is a sweet musky fragrance. On first sniff, I thought this fragrance was too powdery sweet and much too loud. But after several wears, I’ve come to realise that this fragrance matures over time. I find that the salt top note and carrot seed and angelica middle notes help the musky amber base note blend with my natural body scent. The perfume, especially on the dry down, reminds me of cycling home at sunset, after having spent a long day sunbathing on a nearby beach.
Overall, I commend Flora Danica. I appreciate all four of the Flora Danica perfumes (though of course I prefer some fragrances over others). And I applaud Flora Danica for the longevity of their perfumes; every time I wear one of their fragrances, I get whiffs of it during much of the long summer day.
But do Flora Danica perfumes capture the essences of Denmark? By incorporating seasonal Danish flora throughout their entire line, Flora Danica use smells that are particular to fresh spring days and bright summer evenings in Denmark. Thus, each perfume reminds me of instances I commonly encounter during the brighter months of the year.
But that still begs some crucial questions. Both brightness and darkness are integral parts of Denmark. So how do Flora Danica capture the scents of the chilly autumn and the black winter? How do Flora Danica perfumes suggest the smells of candle smoke, Christmas beers and leather pub stools that define many a Danish winter night?
Unfortunately, Flora Danica lack in this department when trying to capture the multifaceted Denmark in fragrances. But nonetheless, I think Flora Danica are a great perfume house. And if their current perfume range is anything to go by, they certainly have the potential to invoke the full gamut of Denmark in smells. To achieve that, I suppose that Flora Danica’s next perfumery line should be composed of some “darker” fragrances. And I would very much look forward to seeing how the perfume house would translate Denmark’s gloomier seasons into fragrances. Perhaps this possible sophomore line could, much like its predecessor, even reference renowned pieces of literature from Denmark; I personally nominate “Feeling for Snow” or “Gothic Tales” as potential names. In the meantime, I’ll pay homage to Denmark by wearing the smells of a bright spring day in a clean and cosy Danish home.
About the author: As an avid traveller, I've noticed that places often have their own unique and special smell. So to satisfy my travel itch during the Covid lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, I began to seek out perfumes and fragrances that reminded me of some of my favourite places. And that is how I became a fragrance enthusiast. Although I am relatively new to the world of perfumery, I feel like I've travelled extensively through the countless samples I've tested. When I'm not travelling by sight or smell, I work as an accountant. I'm originally from Hong Kong and the US, but I currently call Denmark home.
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