Creating Nashi Blossom
Our Fragrance Director, Céline Roux and Master Perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin tell us the story behind Nashi Blossom.
Céline Roux:
What are the unique characteristics of blossom scents and what makes them special?
The moment you see blossom, you know spring has arrived. It encapsulates everything that is so beautiful about the season. Before you even smell the flowers, they are a real spectacle for the eye. In London we have whole streets filled with blossom in the spring, this inspired us to look a little more closely at the different types of blossom found in Japan. There are an incredible number of blossoms from sakura cherry blossom which is so iconic in Kyoto to silk blossom with its unique pompom flowers. All blossoms have something playful and youthful about them.
Why did Jo Malone London choose the Nashi Blossom?
I always knew about the Nashi pear and a few years ago I came across the blossom. Straight away I was drawn to its striking appearance. The flowers are pure white with black stamen creating an amazing polka dot effect. What could be more Jo Malone London than that? When it comes to the scent, the floralcy of the Nashi blossom is radiant with the sweetness of pear to create a very joyful combination.
Nashi Blossom has its own limited edition bottle, can you tell us how the design captures the character of the scent?
The limited edition bottle is decorated with polka dots, echoing the striking nashi flower. It's very modern and fresh; graphic, black and white with a touch of vibrant green.
Can you tell us more about the Nashi tree, where does it come from and what are its striking characteristics?
Nashi tree is a pear tree which grows in East Asia. Nashi actually means pear in Japanese. Traditionally its blossom symbolises the start of spring and it's a common sight in gardens in the countryside. The Nashi tree has a very unique fruit which is almost a cross between an apple and a pear. It is very juicy, sweet and crisp. This special pear is often given as a gift or served to guests and it's eaten together in a family setting.
Fabrice Pellegrin:
You chose to use both the nashi flower and fruit within the fragrance. Can you tell us more about this combination and the effect it creates?
Jo Malone London and I wanted to capture an idea of the whole tree, unveiling the flower paired with an accent of fruit. This unexpected combination brought us a resolutely modern, fluid fruity floral.
What are the other key ingredients in the scent and what do they bring to it?
We harnessed a new method of extraction to find our lemon note. Cold expression was used on both the zest and the citrus pulp; this made the note more fruity and less tart. Lemon added a mouth-watering, juicy freshness, opening the fragrance with a citrus brightness. The Nashi blossom has a hint of rose so I played with this facet by adding rose absolute to the heart. It brings a natural floral quality as the fragrance unfurls. Finally white musk in the base brings modernity and enhances the trail of the scent, adding a softness that endures.
You used a new extraction method to obtain the natural apple ingredient, can you explain how this process works?
Apart from citruses, it's really hard to include natural fruit in the perfumer's palette. Fruit is filled with water, it's what makes it so juicy! But when it comes to extraction, we face a real challenge. In this case we used a special cold concentration technique with fruit juice. Apple juice is filtered through resin which absorbs the heavier scent molecules. This brings a natural alternative to synthetic fruity ingredients. I used this new apple note in the heart to bring continuity to the fruity notes throughout the fragrance. It gave a mouth-watering sensation of crisp apple mixed with fresh juice.
Can you tell us more about the character of the scent?
This blossom scent is particularly juicy, joyful and radiant. At the same time it's elegant, sophisticated and very Jo Malone London.