Guest Post By Val, the Cookie Queen of Australian Perfume Junkies
The word “terroir” is used to describe the characteristics of a certain place – the geography, geology and climate. In the case of Richard Lüscher Britos (RLB) their Terroir Perfumes represent a particular area where very special aromatic plants grow. It is from these that Richard Lüscher Britos prepare their excellent perfumes. The fragrances tell individual stories from specific areas, and are the foundation of each of their natural perfumes.
Wait! Stop! I don’t like natural perfumes!
About month ago Vero Kern of Vero Profumo and Andy Tauer of Tauer Perfumes asked me if I would like to attend the launch of Richard Lüscher Britos Terroir Perfumes in
Zürich, a project in which they had both been asked to create a fragrance. Huh?? They didn’t have to ask twice. I was on my way.
Malvin Richard, Lukas Lüscher and Serena Britos have been friends since their youth.
With Malvin being the son of Jean-Claude Richard, perfumer, and Lukas’ father doing forest research, and Serena accompanying Malvin’s family as a child on perfume trips (she has since studied ethnobotany), it is no wonder that they are all fascinated by natural plant fragrances.
RLB started with Terroir Perfumes about two years ago. It was around this time that they met Andy and Vero and described their project to them.
RLB completely immersed themselves in their Terroir project, from the picking of the different plants to the distillation process. (You can read about the French adventure on Andy Tauer’s blog.)
So, on to the evening itself: We arrived in Zürich, illegally parked the car down a dark alley, and made it to the launch with about ten minutes to spare. Five and a half hours door-to-door, including loo and caffeine stops!
Each of the five perfumes are named after their coordinates on the map.
44°N 03°E, 14°S 48°E, 38°N 16°E, 04°N 74°W, 46°N 08°E. Please don’t ask me how to remember them, I can hardly remember my own name. But dig out a map
and have a look!
Vero Kern was the first to introduce her perfume and its components that she had created for RLB. 14°S 48°E lands you right in Madagascar!
She explained how it was a real challenge to create a perfume completely comprised of naturals. How aromas disappear more quickly due to their complex composition and other stuff that went right over my head!
As each perfumer in turn defined their creations, they passed around flacons of the pure extra essential oils for us to sniff. In this case the extra means the kind of extraction, if I understood correctly. This was totally cool. The ylang ylang for example smelled heavenly as I would expect. I was surprised though to smell the tuberose and to hardly recognise it.
Interesting.
RLB had exquisitely beautiful scarves printed with the flora and fauna of each of the Terroirs. I wish I had bought one.
If you had told me a couple of months ago that I would be trying natural perfumes, and driving over 500km to do so I would never have believed it.
The Terroir Perfumes have nothing to do with my preconceived ideas of “natural”. The scents are stunning. The flacons are luxurious. They stay on my skin for a minimum of six hours. There is at least one that I would buy a full bottle of!
Thanks so much to Andy and Vero, Richard and Malvin for such a warm welcome. And to my husband Chris for not only driving me there, but for learning all he could about Andy and Vero before we went.
And yes, of course I took cookies.
Olfactoria's Travels 
Wonderful that you got to attend the launch! The perfumes sound interesting. Oh and that scarf looks beautiful.
You will soon here EVERYTHING!!
xxxx
hear*. I am losing my mind.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Val. The fragrances sound wonderful but the scarves are positively mouth watering – my first thought opening this post was how beautiful the botanical drawing is that RLB has used for their logo. I’d have shopper’s remorse, too 🙂
Hi Ringthing!
Thank goodness for online shopping. I will order one. Just didn’t have the chance to go back the next day to get one. Still mad though. Grrrrr.
xxxxx
You didn’t buy the scarf and two more for your editors? O dear. Birgit this reporter needs direction – lol.
Thank you for sharing this experience Val. 6 hour longevity is great for a natural range. The trick with naturals is to reapply and be happy. What a great assignment and destination. The names are clever once you get into the headspace and google them.
Hi Jordan!!
One of them lasted about 12 hours. No kidding. I wonder which one huh??? Scarves 125 CHF. Should we all make a bulk order? Bussi xxx
Thanks so much for reporting back on this fascinating project, Val!
Really interesting concept and I agree, the scarves are a nice idea. Six hours longevity from a natural perfume is excellent. The “names” make me sigh but I really admire Vero and I bet her Madagascar perfume is great, no doubt with lots of lovely vanilla. Is that the one you’d buy?
Tara! Good afternoon. You are right, it really is a fascinating and passionate project. Nope. It is not the one I would buy. 😉
Love, Val xxx
Thanks for sharing that delicious experience.
Hey one2cent!
I am really happy I got to share it here. It was a fab weekend!
Hugs, Val CQ XXX
Oh Val, you’ve piqued my curiosity now about all the perfumes – including Vero’s Madagascan one. My geography is not good enough to extrapolate more info that from the coordinates, though I see that Andy Tauer’s one is a lavender scent located in France. Perhaps they are still under wraps? Or under scarves even! Those were a nice touch and doubtless reel in the scarf-loving perfumista cohort. Sounds like a good time was had by all, and worth the drive and the risk of illegal parking. It’s what you have to do in Zurich, as well as shell out a month’s salary to use a public loo.
Hi Vanessa! But it was a great loo! I couldn’t get out though. I pyshed the only button I could find which electronically lowered a nappy changing tray. Impressive, but useless. Trying not to panic I searched in vain for another button. I then noticed a handle on the door. Duh. And they really are lovely fragrances. Hugs. xxxxx
pushed* forsooth
Please strike the ‘that’ after ‘info’ and add a ‘will’ before ‘doubtless’!
WOW!! You are a superstar Val. What a wonderful adventure for you. Very jelous and thrilled for you. Can’t believe you didn’t grab a scarf.
Portia xx
Hi my Liebling Portia.
Me neither 😦
Bussis. xxxxxxxxx
I think I belong squarely in the scarf-loving Perfumista cohort, so I have to say I would love one as well.
Thank you very much for the post, Val!
It must have been a lovely evening, traumatic loo experiences notwithstanding.
Hi B!
It was an honour, doing a post for OT! We can discuss scarves soon. 😉
xxx
Can’t wait to hear more about these. I am very interested in trying more natural perfumes! Staying tuned for more fragrance details…
Hello Amy! Keep your eyes on The Perfume Blogosphere!! More to follow shortly! These are naturals to love. CQ xxx
Very intersting event! Where in Zurich can I get Terroir Perfumes?
Evening MaryPoppins!
Markthalle Im Viadukt (49)
It’s a Pop Up Shop!!
Until March 2014
Worth a visit for sure.
Gorgeous naturals and you can buy a scarf.
http://www.richardlüscherbritos.com
Love, Val xx
I’m curious about those perfumes (only because of the perfumers) but I hate the names. I don’t think it’s a good marketing idea – but good luck to them.
Hi Undina!
I think the names are challenging too, but I like the idea behind it. They might get known as the lavender one, the ylang ylang, the gardenia etc etc. We’ll see. But they really are quite lovely. The fact that they are naturals will probably be very positive. Good night from here! Hugs, Val xxx
There goes word of mouth. No one’s going to even try a sentence like,”I tried 04°N 74°Ws and 14°S 48°E, but the real winner was 44°N 03°E!”
Unfortunately that is very true!
Hey Shy Author!
How about 4403 Lavender! That’s how I (nearly) remember it. Haha.
Lovr
Val xxx
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