Between the Notes

This week's episode is an overhaul list of incense fragrances and wonderful recommendations. We also get into some musings on smellmaxxing, its positioning, and its connection to practices in the past. After you listen, i'm curious to know, why do you wear perfume? 

Fragrances mentioned:

Kyoto, Avignon, Ouarzazate, Floriental/ Comme des Garçons, Wazamba/ Parfum d'Empire, Princess/ Lanvin, Oak & Oak/ Scents of Wood, Indigo Smoke/ Arquiste, Copal de Terre/ Le Monde Gourmand, Etui Noir/ Miller Harris, Otis & Me/ Jazmin Sarai, Euphoria/ Calvin Klein, Purple Mantra/ Room 1015, Gucci Guilty pour femme intense/ Gucci, Reliq d'Amour, Rev d'Ossian/ Oriza Legrand, Feminite du Bois/ Serge Lutens, Olibanum/ Profumum Roma

Additional fragrances to try that were missed:

Mandala/ Masque Milano

Tucson/ Astier de Villatte

Works cited: 

New York Times, Smellmaxxing Explained: https://tinyurl.com/4u3fv6d5

Suzy Nightingale, "The Tiktok Boys" for The Scented Letter (Spring 2025)

 Alice du Parcq's Substack, "Why we must celebrate teen boy scent hounds": https://tinyurl.com/ydu2pxuv"

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand" by Edward Schafer

"On a Trail of Incense: Japan and Olfactory Thought" by Lorenzo Marinucci (chapter in "Aromas of Asia)

Be sure to check out Between the Notes on Instagram and follow where you listen! https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/#

Music & sound: Jasem Jarrar ⁠@jas3m.j

For this week, we get into a review of a lovely narcissus find and an interesting, impulsive shopping experience. For our fragrance cultural discussion we delve into fragrance practices and identity in Zanzibar as discussed in Rosabell Boswell's work from 2008: How fragrance practices shifted after the 1964 revolution, how it converged and diverged African and Arab ethic identity expression, and the tricky business of documenting "intangible" cultural heritage like fragrance.

Fragrances mentioned:
Mariya/ OmanLuxury

Narcisse Taiji, Neroli Hasbaya, Cédre Figalia/ Atelier Materi

Work discussed on podcast:
Scents of identity: Fragrance as heritage in Zanzibar by Rosabelle Boswell, Journal of Contemporary African Studies 26 (3), 295-311 (2008)

Be sure to follow where you listen and check out Between the Notes on Instagram! @btwnnotes

Music & sound engineering: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.j

This week is another discovery set deep dive! I chat about the Les Indémodables collection. Each offering presents an austere, well respected material traditionally used in perfumery, and takes an elegant yet playful approach. Yet, each playful take is grounded in a classical style of perfumery. Les Indémodables encapsulates the best of niche perfumery, emphasizing luxury and quality with each composition.

Discovery set (in order of appearance):

Fougere Emeraude

Oranger Sirocco

Oriental Velours

Chypre Azural

Escale en Haiti

Cuir de Chine

Escale en Indonesie

Iris Perle

Patchouli Nosiette

Musc des Sables

Rose de Jamal

Vanille Havane

Ambre Supreme

If you've tried the collection, tell me what your favorite is! If you haven't, which one intrigues you the most?

Thanks for listening in and be sure to follow Between the Notes on Instagram! @btwnnotes

Music & sound engineering: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.j

This week we chat about musings on my personal "big bottle manifesto" and discuss the Hiram Green discovery set. Spoiler: Tryst has become my most beloved orange blossom fragrance. Ever. Let me know your favorites from the brand!

Fragrances mentioned:

Papyrus Oud/ Parle Moi de Parfum

Neroli Nasimba/ Maison Crivelli

Riva/ Lootah

O'Feminin/ M.Micallef

All of me/ Narcisco Rodriguez

Maggie the Cat is Alive i'm Alive/ Marissa Zappas

La Panthere Parfum/ Cartier 

Discovery set/ Hiram Green

Be sure to comment & follow on Instagram @btwnnotes

Sound & engineering: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.j

This week we chat out decolonizing our sense of smell, Japanese linguistics and the antidote to perfume overconsumption all in one go! Both segments of today show are taken to discuss a wonderful piece by Lorenzo Marinucci, but next week we will be back with new smells and perfume reviews! 

Neroli Oranger/ Matiere Premiere

Galavant / House of Puente

Phoenix Flame/ Mabelle O'Rama

Incense Kyoto/ Comme des Garçons

Works cited:

 Marinucci, Lorenzo. " On a Trail of Incense: Japan and Olfactory Thought". Aromas of Asia: Exchanges, Histories, Threats, edited by Hannah Gould and Gwyn McClelland, University Park, USA: Penn State University Press, 2023"

Fragrance and Impermanence" from Joseph Colbourne's Substack https://tinyurl.com/mwkw4ms6  

Between the Notes on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/#

Music & sound: Jasem Jarrar @jas3m.j

What did scented dreams and smelly caves say about 17th century Ottoman social mobility and global positioning? Why do I like perfume oils so much? How many Turkish words can I mispronounce in an hour? All are answered on this week's episode!

I get into some new perfume acquisitions, hint at some discovery sets on the way, and review "Aromas of knowledge, networks of scent: tracing the olfactory imagination of a 17th-century Ottoman traveler" by Rao Mohsin Ali Noor. Let me know your thoughts!

Perfumes mentioned:

Ashore/ Amouage

Ambre Supreme / Les IndémodablesGucci Bloom / Gucci

Lust/ Lush

Otis & Me / Jazmin Saraï

3 Fleurs / Parfum D'Empire

Jasmin et Cigarette / Etat Libre D'Orange

Various perfume oils/ Tarife Attar

*Mehmet Efendi was the writer I was referring that is associated with the last cave passage discussed; Yazıcıde is the word I couldn't pronounce and I read that is was a term to refer to someone who was the "son of a writer" or someone who was apart of the Ottoman court. 

Citation for work discussed: Aromas of knowledge, networks of scent: tracing the olfactory imagination of a 17th-century Ottoman traveler, Noor, Rao Mohsin Ali. Abingdon: Routledge, The senses & society, 2023-01, Vol.18 (1), p.52-65

Be sure to comment and follow on Spotify and Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/

Sound engineering and music: Jasem Jarrar

Welcome to Episode 2 of Between the Notes!

This week Sarah defines what a "mama perfume" is and reviews works that outline the "cultural biography" of aromatics like Saffron in 7th century China.

Fragrances mentioned:

Beautiful, Knowing and Knowing legacy by Estee Lauder

Charlie Azure by Revlon

Chanel No. 5 & Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere by Chanel

O'Feminin by M. Micallef

Rival by Lootah

Iris Celadon by Armani Prive

Incense Kyoto by Commes De Garcon

Oak in Oak by Scents of Wood

Vetiver Bourbon by Parfum D'Empire

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/

Works cited:

Scented Protection: Saffron's Transcultural Premodern History by Yan Liu, 2023

The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of T'ang Exotics, Volume 1 by Edward H. Schafer, 1963

Sound engineering & music: Jasem Jarrar

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Between the Notes!

Hosted by Sarah, a lifelong lover of perfume, this podcast explores fragrance through a social and historical lens.

Between the Notes aims to challenge common understandings of perfume across time and place, highlighting its rich cultural significance. And while we’re at it, I’ll also share some of my current favorite scents!

Fragrances mentioned:

3 Fleurs: Parfum d' Empire

Reflection Man: Amouage

Night Flower: Eris Parfums

Indigo Smoke: Arquiste

For a similar vibe to the musky concoctions/ oils mentioned: check out Smell of Dubai and Nemat perfume oils (US)

Main source referenced: The Musk Trade and the Near East in the Early Medieval Period by Anya H. King

*Sogdian Letters (1-5) dates to around 312-313 CE

You can follow and comment on Between the Notes on Spotify, and get the latest updates on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/btwnnotes/

Sound Engineering: Jasem Jarrar (@jas3m.j)