Natural Middle Notes

Rose (Rosa damascena or centifolia) – A cornerstone floral heart note, rose offers rich, multi-faceted complexity: honeyed, spicy, slightly citrusy, and often with green or fruity nuances depending on extraction and origin. Used to construct floral bouquets, chypres, orientals, and soliflores.

Jasmine (Jasminum grandiflorum or sambac) – Intensely narcotic and sensual, jasmine adds body, warmth, and diffusion. Grandiflorum leans toward fruity and powdery, while sambac is greener and more indolic. Crucial in white floral, oriental, and ambery blends.

Ylang-ylang – Exotic and creamy with banana-like, custard facets, ylang-ylang bridges the gap between top and heart. Adds a tropical, velvety character to florals and softens sharp compositions.

Lavender – A clean, herbal-floral note with camphoraceous undertones. Lavender acts as a structure-builder, giving lift and clarity to fougères, aromatics, and modern florals. Can lean fresh or powdery depending on use.

Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) – Sharp, rosy, and green with a lemony edge. Often used as a more affordable alternative or companion to rose, geranium lends brightness and herbaceous contrast, useful in both masculine and unisex blends.

Clary sage – Musky, herbaceous, and slightly leathery, clary sage adds a soft yet persistent volume to the heart. Its unique amber-musk facet helps bridge florals with resinous or woody bases.

Rosemary – Bracing and green with sharp camphor notes, rosemary is often used to invigorate herbal, fougère, and Mediterranean-style perfumes. Adds energy to middle notes without overwhelming.

Basil – Fresh, slightly spicy green note with subtle licorice tones. Basil can freshen florals, add complexity to citrus accords, or introduce a savory quality to avant-garde compositions.

Violet leaf absolute – Intensely green, leafy, and slightly metallic. Not sweet or powdery like violet flower, violet leaf builds verdant, aquatic, or metallic-green heart accords.

Tea (green or black tea absolutes) – Delicate yet tannic, tea notes offer transparent bitterness, adding a sophisticated dry quality to modern florals, woods, and niche compositions.

Cinnamon leaf – Less sweet and woody than cinnamon bark, the leaf oil offers clove-like warmth with a sharper edge. Useful in spicy floral compositions and to deepen gourmand bases.

Nutmeg – Softly spicy and slightly woody with a creamy undertone. Nutmeg blends seamlessly into floral or amber hearts, adding warmth and subtle spice without heaviness.

Cardamom – A bright, sweet, aromatic spice with both fresh and warm facets. Cardamom elevates florals, gourmand notes, and oriental blends with its refined presence.

Clove bud – Powerful, spicy, and rich with eugenol. A little goes a long way in floral-spicy or oriental compositions. Often paired with rose, carnation, and incense-like blends.

Ginger – Fresh, citrusy-spicy with a sparkling and clean quality. Ginger livens up floral and woody hearts and adds piquancy to gourmand fragrances.

Elemi – Sharp, peppery resin with lemony top notes. Adds brightness and lift in spicy and incense accords, acting as a bridge between top and heart notes.

Frankincense (olibanum) – Lemony, resinous, and slightly piney, frankincense can act as both top and middle note. It lends elegance, a sense of sacredness, and transparency to florals, incense, and woody blends.

Chamomile (Roman or Blue) – Roman chamomile is sweet and apple-like, while blue chamomile has a more herbal, dry edge with azulene richness. Often used in calming or nostalgic compositions.

Davana – Fruity, herbaceous, and boozy, davana brings a unique plum or rum-like nuance to the heart. It adapts well to skin and evolves beautifully over time in floral or spicy formulas.

Green cognac oil – Derived from the distillation of grape skins, this note offers a sparkling, winey green character. Often used to give radiance and lift to heart notes, especially in chypres, florals, or niche citrusy compositions.