The aromas of summer are here and I’m wearing Black Ghazal for the delicious animistic Jasmine refrain. In the hierarchy of florals, Jasmine is considered a masculine scent – the King of flowers, (and Rose is Queen)…

Long hot summer days lead us to the fragrant florals and fruits that abound in nature. It’s right that we will now gravitate to these aromas to adorn our body through our perfume.

The King of flowers Jasminum grandiflorum and the beautiful night Jasmine, Jasminum sambac – named for its habit of opening at night and closing with the morning sun, have a rich history in perfume.

Originally perfume was not divided along gender lines. To me its a beautiful idea that a man can choose a perfume structure that uses Rose and Jasmine and that women find occasion and mood to wear the strong Chypres or desire spicy wood notes on their skin. When I make perfume I move in this direction.

Black Ghazal eau de parfum is a rendering of the Persian and Northern Indian love Ghazals. The fragrances combine in couplets and evolve in waves, mirroring the structure of the ghazal.

Jasmine, lemongrass and geranium entwine at the heart of the perfume and play out on the skin settling with a lingering refrain of the sweet animalic night Jasmine. Its this narcotic and slightly fleshy undertone that marks it with a masculine floral appeal.

Jasmine grandiflorum is a native of Northern India, Iran and Afghanistan and night Jasmine originated from central and southern India.

The original Black Ghazal perfume colour was black with a lush texture from the Labdanum resin and Jasmine absolute (but guaranteed to stain the pristine whites of our friends who trial for us). The name remains but the resin concentrate has been moderated – leaving only me as the last wearer of the original black Black Ghazal.

This perfume probably grew from my years of listening to an intoxicating Persian and Indian fusion ballad called The Rain by Ghazal. I love to expose my brain (and senses) to an aural and olfactory pleasure and then observe how my awareness evolves from this into the day…

Here is a link to their live concert recording in Switzerland in the 90’s.