What is an Artisanal Perfume?

Since time immemorial, India has been home to countless arts, crafts and other creative businesses. From spices & silk to metal wares and precious stones, Indian businesses have led the world. One of those crafts was the craft of artisanal perfumery.

Today, not many people know what artisanal perfumery is and often confuse it with designer perfume brands and mass produced perfumes.

Lets take a look at what artisanal perfumery means.

Hand Made in Small Batches

Unlike their designer cousins, these are perfumes which have been crafted and mixed by hand in small quantities and in traditional methods, handed down from generation to generation or passed on from perfumer to perfumer by demonstration and practice.

In-House Perfumers

Such artisanal perfumes are blended by “noses.” These are specialist experts who have extraordinary abilities to mix and transform a palette of layered scents and arrange them into a signature creation. We are fortunate to have Mr. Vishal Vijayvergiya, one of the most revered noses in India as our in-house marvel.

Quality of the Perfume

From the top notes, through to the base resins, balsams and musks, artisanal perfumes just scream quality. 

It is the distillation process which is the key difference between the quality and longevity of a perfume. One of the problems with today's designer fragrances is by the time you have put them on, and gone to where you are going, most of the notes have evaporated on the journey.

These ingredients have always been valuable - not only because of the elements involved, but also because of the labour intensive distillation process which enables the scent to be isolated. No wonder they were the preferred choice of the Indian Maharajas and Rasookdars.

High Concentration Perfumes

The specialist perfumers who create artisanal scents are very strict in their use of higher concentrations of perfume extracts and more natural ingredients - creating a breathtaking sensation - giving one of a kind experience each time a perfume bottle is opened.

The array of notes in artisanal perfumes runs to many millions of combinations. Citrus and other fruits, nuts, flowers, herbs, fougeres, spices, woods, mosses, resins, balsams, amber, musks, even powdered rock and clay are just some of the raw materials used.

Availability

Artisanal Perfumes are difficult to find. The very word “artisanal” means exclusive, and most boutiques producing them are run by an in-house perfumer. You might find them in other exclusive boutiques that match the perfumery's styles, concepts and beliefs.

ISAK fragrances is bringing this craft back to life and is taking Indian Artisanal Perfumery international. With ISAK's heritage & legacy, it only does justice to the craft.