Countdown day 16

The ever inspiring 16th day of our Christmas Fragrance Countdown has arrived. Today we continue with the literary theme from Yesterday's, Novel inspired, Portrait of a Lady. Today I want to take you to a dusty old book shop, piled high with magical words, and share a secret with you. That secret is Lignin. No it is not a book you need to read, nor is it a shop tucked away somewhere far away. Rather, it is the compound responsible for giving books and old bookshops thatwonderful and unmistakable smell. It is contained within all wood based paper, and is one of many molecules which combine to create that smell we know and love. I have tried smelling Kindles, but I get strange looks on the tube. Nevertheless, I am sure it is only books that weave this magic. Old Books (2015) by Perfumers Story, is a wonderful and evocative work by Azzi Glasser. It strives to capture, not just the smell of the books themselves, but also the old and neglected corners from where they came. I would describe this as atmosphere in a bottle. We open our first page with a glorious and delicate Frankincense. It creates a sense of the sacred, and also has a very apt dusty element. You can almost imagine that first smell as you enter the shop, dry and untouched for many years. Following close behind is Olibanum and Myrrh, and these provide a sense of warmth and depth, imagine the sun gently warming and sweetening the leather of some first edition high in a corner. It is a beautiful effect, and really floods the imagination with colour and memories. Well, mine anyway. The base of this little gem contains a good sense of damp wood and concrete with Patchouli and Cedar, also Amber to mimic the sweetness in the air. It is as if the sour, dusty and damp are kissed by a smoke of vanilla essence. It works in perfect balance. Not a hugely complex set of notes, but a splendid fusion of olfactory references which combine to take us to a corner somewhere on our own, away from the madness outside. Much like reading a good book, this is very much a fragrance just for you. Sit back in an old leather chair, find some warming tweed blanket, pour yourself a peaty single malt, and read all night long. Happy smelling, and please don't try this with a Kindle! J xxxx