New York-based perfume house Le Labo has released its latest hand-made perfume, Coriandre 39.
And just like the coriander herb itself, some are expected to love it and some are expected to hate it.
That divisiveness is likely because of the OR6A2 gene receptor found in the olfactory system where our body processes smell, studies show.
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That specific gene picks up on aldehyde-based chemical compounds found in coriander. Some of those compounds in cinnamon are also the same that give stink bugs their stink, SPEX CertiPrep said.
But humans can have different OR6A2 variants — one of which can pick up on the “soapy” aldehydes in coriander, and the other which cannot, the Australian Academy of Science said.
The use of coriander in perfume isn’t new — it’s been featured in fragrances by Cartier, Dior, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, just to name a few.
The distilled seeds, often used in small quantities, add woody, spicy and warm aromas, while the leaves add green, fresh and herbaceous notes.
“With the first spritz, a zing of spicy lime and aldehydic coriander leaves (coriandre in French) set the stage for quieter crisp watery notes to peek through. Fresh, green florals enter, then stick around for an intoxicating musky dry down,” Le Labo said of the fragrance.
“Think forest bathing in El Bosque de Chapultepec — a peace enriched by call-and-repeat birdsong — or sipping mezcal in the shade at a humming café in La Condesa.”
The perfume is part of the City Exclusives collection — Coriandre 39 is otherwise known as the Mexico City fragrance.
SPEX CertiPrep finds that about 80 per cent pf the population perceive the smell of coriander as pleasant, with certain ethnicities exhibiting various levels of tolerance — Caucasians are among those who like the smell least, with about 20 per cent averse to it.
And if smell alone doesn’t put off a percentage of consumers, the price may indeed do so.
The luxury brand offers several sizes from its 15ml vial for $255 and its largest offering, a 500ml bottle, for $2700.
It is available online for just one month, until September 30, and then fans of the scent will need to factor in a trip to Le Labo’s Mexico store for future purchases, as the brand stocks its City Exclusive fragrances only in the locations they are inspired by following the initial release and additional promotional periods.