Vanilla is one of the most popular notes in perfumery today. Sweet, enveloping, comforting, it takes infinite forms: gourmand, spicy, woody, oriental. Its journey from the tropical forests of Mexico to perfume bottles took several centuries. Here's the fascinating history of an ingredient that became iconic.
The Origins: Vanilla, Treasure of the Aztec Civilization
The story of vanilla begins in Mexico, birthplace of one of the most advanced pre-Columbian civilizations. The Aztecs already cultivated this climbing orchid called tlilxochitl (black flower in Nahuatl) and used it to flavor a sacred chocolate drink: xocoatl. Mixed with cacao, vanilla brought a smooth, spicy note to this preparation reserved for the elite.
For the Aztecs, vanilla was far more than a simple flavoring. It possessed aphrodisiac and stimulating properties, and its captivating scent made it a precious commodity, consumed during religious ceremonies and reserved for nobles and priests. Vanilla was also offered as tribute to the emperor and used as currency.
Cultivating vanilla required extraordinary expertise. The Aztecs understood the complexity of this orchid and mastered its life cycle, its natural pollination by endemic Melipona bees, and the fermentation process that reveals its characteristic aromas.
The Internationalization of Vanilla Cultivation
In the 16th century, vanilla arrived in Europe and quickly became prized by royal courts. For nearly three centuries, Mexico remained the sole global producer. The reason? Vanilla pollination depends on a bee endemic to the region. All cultivation attempts elsewhere failed: flowers bloomed, but pods didn't form.
The Revolution of Edmond Albius
In 1841, on the island of Réunion (then called Île Bourbon), a young 12-year-old botanist named Edmond Albius made a discovery that would change vanilla's history. He developed a simple, effective manual pollination technique, finally enabling the orchid to be cultivated outside its natural Mexican habitat.
This innovation revolutionized global production. Madagascar, Réunion, the Comoros, Tahiti, and other tropical regions developed their own vanilla cultivation. Each terroir brings its specificities, creating distinct aromatic profiles.
Different Vanilla Terroirs
Today, several types of vanilla exist, each with unique characteristics:
- Madagascar Vanilla (Bourbon): The most common, sweet, creamy, with caramel and dried fruit notes. The reference vanilla.
- Tahitian Vanilla: More floral, with anise notes, hints of cherry and plum. More delicate.
- Mexican Vanilla: The original vanilla, rich, spicy, slightly smoky.
- Comoros Vanilla: Similar to Bourbon, with more woody and spicy notes.
From Pod to Bottle: Extraction Methods
To use vanilla in perfumery, its aromatic molecules must be extracted. Several methods exist, each with advantages.
Solvent Extraction
This is the traditional method. Vanilla pods are immersed in a solvent (typically hexane or ethanol) that dissolves aromatic molecules. The solvent is then evaporated, leaving vanilla absolute. This method produces high yield and a rich, warm, gourmand scent.
Supercritical CO2 Extraction: The Truest to Real Vanilla Scent
Supercritical CO2 extraction is the most modern and highest-quality method. It uses carbon dioxide under high pressure and controlled temperature. The CO2 becomes a supercritical fluid, capable of dissolving aromatic molecules with exceptional precision.
The advantages of this method are numerous:
- Aromatic fidelity: It captures the entire olfactory profile of the pod, including the most delicate and volatile notes.
- Purity: No solvent residue, CO2 evaporates completely.
- Preservation: Low temperatures preserve fragile molecules.
- Natural: The process is entirely natural, CO2 being a gas present in the atmosphere.
CO2 extraction produces a finer, more complex vanilla, closer to the fresh pod. It's the preferred method for perfumers seeking the highest quality.
Natural Vanilla vs. Synthetic Vanillin
It's important to distinguish natural vanilla from synthetic vanillin.
Natural vanilla is extracted from real vanilla pods. It contains over 250 different aromatic compounds, creating a rich, complex scent with creamy, woody, spicy, and floral facets. This complexity is what makes vanilla beautiful in perfumery.
Vanillin is a single molecule, synthesized in laboratories (often from wood lignin or petroleum). It represents the main component of vanilla's scent, but it's one-dimensional: sweet, gourmand, linear. Vanillin is much cheaper than natural vanilla and widely used in mass-market fragrances.
In quality perfumery, natural vanilla is preferred for its richness and depth. It brings a dimension that vanillin alone cannot offer.
Vanilla in Fine Perfumery
The Beginning: Jicky and Modernity
Vanilla truly entered modern perfumery in the late 19th century. In 1889, Aimé Guerlain created Jicky, the first fragrance to use vanillin alongside natural ingredients. This perfume marked a turning point: vanilla became a noble, sophisticated olfactory note capable of structuring a complex composition.
The Golden Age: Shalimar and Oriental Vanilla
In 1925, Jacques Guerlain created Shalimar, one of the most iconic fragrances in history. This oriental masterpiece built around vanilla, iris, bergamot, and sandalwood revolutionized perfumery. Shalimar demonstrated that vanilla could be luxurious, sensual, enveloping. It became a pillar of the oriental fragrance family and inspired generations of perfumers.
Vanilla Classics
Throughout the 20th century, several vanilla fragrances marked perfumery history:
- Habit Rouge (Guerlain, 1965): Vanilla paired with leather and precious woods, elegant and assertive.
- Opium (Yves Saint Laurent, 1977): Spicy vanilla in a powerful, provocative oriental.
- Dior Homme Intense (Dior, 2007): Powdery vanilla paired with iris, refined and modern.
- Tobacco Vanille (Tom Ford, 2007): Vanilla and tobacco in a rich, addictive accord.
These fragrances contributed to making vanilla one of the most beloved and versatile notes in perfumery.
Vintage Vanilla: An Exceptional Vanilla
At Horace, we wanted to work with vanilla differently. Vintage Vanilla, our fourth fragrance, pairs powerful vanilla with weathered leather and suede notes, creating a unique accord that evokes precious objects that improve with time.
High-Quality Natural Vanilla
For Vintage Vanilla, we chose to work with LMR Naturals, considered the Rolls Royce of natural ingredients in perfumery. LMR specializes in supercritical CO2 extractions and supplies the world's most demanding perfume houses.
Our vanilla is:
- 100% natural, extracted from real pods
- CO2-extracted, for optimal quality and aromatic fidelity
- Rich and complex, with all the depth only natural vanilla can offer
This exceptional vanilla is paired with weathered leather, suede, and labdanum accords, creating an enveloping, raw fragrance.
The Composition
From the first seconds, notes of nutmeg, cumin, and pink pepper surprise and announce a bold fragrance. At the heart, saffron and violet bring richness and powdery softness. At the base, natural vanilla blends with leather and labdanum, creating an enveloping, long-lasting sillage that evolves on the skin throughout the day.
Vintage Vanilla is a tribute to vanilla's history in perfumery: a note once reserved for the Aztec elite, now iconic, and continually reinvented with the finest raw materials available.
Like all our fragrances, Vintage Vanilla's concentrate is handcrafted in Grasse, the birthplace of French perfumery.
Fragrance Notes:
- Top Notes: Nutmeg, Cumin, Pink Pepper
- Heart Notes: Saffron, Violet
- Base Notes: Vanilla, Leather, Labdanum
From ancient Mesoamerica to modern compositions, vanilla has crossed centuries and continents to become one of the most beloved and versatile notes in perfumery. Vintage Vanilla continues this story, offering a new interpretation: raw, enveloping, and crafted with the finest natural ingredients.