STABLE, MUCK AND MANURE

A challenge for the senses

There are perfumes out there not quite like any others, perfumes that challenges our conventional view of fragrance and freshness, and this is something that more and more people are discovering. These black swans of the perfume world provides us with associations to some of that which we least associate with fragrance in a traditional meaning: ie animalic notes, body odors and such. Thus they are often described as "animalistic" and "skunky" (as everyone knows the skunk isn't a the most fragrant of animals) but are also referred to as ‘Barnyard Perfumes’ since many of them reminds us of stables and manure, such as the Mamluk, Al-Khatt and Zafar in the Oud Stars series from the Italian brand Xerjoff.

The dirty notes are extracted from a type of wood named Oud (Agarwood), a tree that when infected with mold develops a fragrance that is then extracted as an oil - and it’s a very expensive process. In some cases, the stable block smell can become so intense that it only appeals to the most devoted of worshipers.

“A barnyard scent shows that you are a person who finds your own way, someone who is self-confident and never afraid "

WHO WOULD WEAR A BARNYARD-SCENT?

To wear a barnyard scent requires a person with attitude. A barnyard scent shows that you are a person who finds your own way, someone who is self-confident and never afraid. Because the truth is that these animalistic scent bombs can actually turn out very complex, and make wonders on the right person where unexpected notes may appear on the skin and a delicate balance occurs. In other words, sparks are flying, and anything might happen!

‘Dirty’ smells can also be used more subtly, in conjunction with completely different scent notes, so that they at first impression may confuse the wearer who doesn’t know whether to be disgusted or enticed. Perfume maker Alessandro Gualtieri - best known for his controversial cult brand Nasomatto - has been inspired by this dichotomy between the fragrant & appealing and the raw & wild to develop a fragrance philosophy that in essence claims that the parts of the human body that smells the strongest are also the parts where the soul is concentrated  - and it’s therefore the source of our sexual and bodily odors.

THE SMELL OF LIFE

With Orto Parisi, Alessandro Gualtieri wants to create curiosity, confusion and surprise by producing notes that, in their pure form, can be perceived as unpleasant before he makes them interesting and beautiful by mixing them with seductive ingredients reminding us of gardens, citrus fruits, wood and spices. He calls the series ‘The smell of Life’.

The theme of the perfume Bergamask is "fresh kill". Musky, coarse notes are subdued by crisp and summery bergamot citrus in something that actually smells of warm blood and iron. And that’s actually not as bad as it sounds. Among Orto Parisi's more sensual and powerful perfumes is Terroni, inspired by the vicious volcano Vesuvius, that produces smoked earth tones, spices and sweetness - it’s the Orto Parisian neutron bomb.

As a beginner to the Barnyard category of scents, it might be a good idea to start with something that’s a bit easier on the senses. Xerjoff Warda al Oud for instance is a perfect starter fragrance that also the layman finds attractive. In the base note Oud goes dirty, but the top note is rich and floral (‘Warda’ means ‘Rose’ in Arabic). In the same series we also find Black Sukar, which is a fantastic perfume - a sweet, dark scent of burnt sugar cane with a hint of Oud that will seem recognizable to anyone who has ever traveled through India, Southern Asia or the Middle East.

The Oud fragrance, central to the ‘Barnyard’ trend, is produced in countries such as Laos, Cambodia and India. And just like any ‘dear child has many names’ there are many names for this perfume trend. There’s ‘Hindi’, ‘Fecal’, ‘Farmhouse’, ‘Earthy’ and ‘Dirty’, to name just a few.
But Cambodia has named the most dirty perfume of them all - the oil Kampuchea from the Italian brand Xerjoff. Not only does it have a price of around SEK 1 million for one litre, it is also extracted from a wild Oud in the Cambodian forest making it extremely rare. And dirty, because this is a concentrated scent of excrement and ordure that most laymen would back off from immediately, one that makes Xerjoff Zafar and Xerjoff Al Khatt appear very mild indeed in comparison.

Within the Barnyard segment there are many perfumes that arouse emotions and challenges, but also perfumes that it's impossible not to be fascinated by – and once you do learn to appreciate their qualities, the love is usually absolute.

So Barnyard really does not mean just a determined nosedive into a pile of manure – it can also turn out to be an exciting scent experience where the animalistic nature of us all is acknowledged, and that in a way that even the curious layman can appreciate and eventually become spellbound by.