Rantette - with a nose for Galbanum

I was about to prepare a rantette bemoaning the fact that when things change it's rarely for the better. Things in question at the time: perfumes.

Never having been a big fan of most perfumes, I'm really, really picky. Greenish, citrus-ish, light flowery and/or fruity blends are the only "families" of fragrances I can bear to wear. Back in the days of vacations by air, from Britain, I'd scour airport duty-free shops to try tester bottles, hoping to find something acceptable. That's how I found three that became my favourites: Vent Vert by Balmain, Calyx by Prescriptives and Spring Fever by Origins.

My rantette was to be about the way two of those have been reformulated in recent years, and the other one has been dropped completely, in spite of petitioning by other rantetters like me. The reformulations of Vent Vert (it had two during the 1990s) and Calyx which was "taken over" by a different cosmetics firm, Clinique, a few years ago are but shadows of the originals. Why, I wonder should this be?

I've come to the conclusion in the case of Clinique's version of Calyx, it's likely a matter of making the fragrance generally weaker, possibly omitting some more expensive ingredients, and so cheaper to make, but the price is either the same as, or higher than before. Origins' Spring Fever disappearance is a puzzle, but that too could be due to increasing cost of ingredients, I guess.

The most interesting, the one with most information available on its reformulation, is Vent Vert.

It appears the main difference in the original Vent Vert and the reformulations is less of, or complete lack of Galbanum, which is said to have made the original so outstandingly striking. The reviewer at the above link wrote, of the original format of Vent Vert:

The interplay of contrasts and harmonies in the composition is simply breathtaking. Vent Vert is a ruffian dressed in transparent chiffon. One cannot help being mesmerized by her.

And of the first reformlation:

While Vent Vert is still lovely, it lacks its most remarkable quality — its renegade spirit.

Writers about perfume are wont to use similar heady descriptives as those beloved of wine buffs!

So then, what is Galbanum? It has a more interesting background than I expected.

From Wikipedia

Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin, the product of certain umbelliferous Persian plant species in the genus Ferula, chiefly Ferula gummosa (synonym F. galbaniflua) and Ferula rubricaulis. Galbanum-yielding plants grow plentifully on the slopes of the mountain ranges of northern Iran.

Aha...Iran! Is this a clue ? Are supplies of this ingredient not easily come by any more?

There's more...

In the Book of Exodus 30:34, it is mentioned as being used in the making of a Ketoret which is used when referring to the consecrated incense described in the Hebrew Bible and Talmud. It is also referred to as the HaKetoret (the incense). It was offered on the specialized incense altar in the time when the Tabernacle was located in the First and Second Jerusalem Temples. The ketoret was an important component of the Temple service in Jerusalem. Rashi of the 12th century comments on this passage that galbanum is bitter and was included in the incense as a reminder of deliberate and unrepentant sinners.

It is occasionally used in the making of modern perfume, and is the ingredient which gives the distinctive smell to the fragrances "Must" by Cartier, "Vent Vert" by Balmain, "Chanel No. 19" and "Vol De Nuit" by Guerlain. The debut of Galbanum in fine modern perfumery is generally thought to be the origin of the "Green" family of scents, exemplified by the scent "Vent Vert" first launched by Balmain in 1945.

Some of the mythology may have transferred to the related galbanum which was referred to as the sacred “mother resin.” Galbanum was highly treasured as a sacred substance by the ancient Egyptians. The “green” incense of Egyptian antiquity is believed to have been galbanum. Galbanum resin has a very intense green scent accompanied by a turpentine odor. The initial notes are a very bitter, acrid, and peculiar scent followed by a complex green, spicy, woody, balsamlike fragrance. When diluted the scent of galbanum has variously been described as reminiscent of pine (due to the pinene and limonene content), evergreen, green bamboo, parsley, green apples, musk, or simply intense green. The oil has a pine like topnote which is less pronounced in the odor of the resinoid. The latter, in turn, has a more woody balsamic, conifer resinous character.[unreliable source?] Galbanum is frequently adulterated with pine oil.

Galbanum oil is steam-distilled to yield a green, fruity-floral odor reminiscent of fine malt

“Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, [or sniff back] everything is different?” ~ Anon.