Understanding The Essence: What Makes A Fragrance Absolutely Unique

An absolute fragrance is a concentrated extract of flowers or plants that is extracted using a solvent such as hexane or ethanol. Absolutes carry the promise of a concentrated fragrance experience and are usually the top-billed super notes in fragrance compositions.

Highly concentrated extracts from flowers or plants

An absolute fragrance is a concentrated extract from flowers or plants. It is similar to an essential oil, but the difference lies in the extraction process. To get technical, essential oils and absolutes are both highly concentrated extracts from flowers or plants. But where essential oils are produced through steam distillation, an absolute is extracted using a solvent such as hexane or ethanol. Absolutes therefore contain even more of the aromatic detail of the original ingredient (compared with steam-distilled extracts) making the smell closer to its "natural" form and, therefore, superior in quality.

This method is also more effective at capturing very delicate substances, such as rose and jasmine. Used in its true sense, absolutes are usually the top-billed super notes in fragrance compositions, but some fragrance makers use the term as a concept - in a similar fashion to "intense" or "extreme".

An absolute perfume definitely carries the promise of a concentrated fragrance experience, so if you like stronger scents with extra staying power, and you are confident in your choice, absolutes are, um, absolutely for you. Dunhill smash it again with a super smooth oud composed by Carlos Benaim. £90 for 100ml. Available to buy exclusively at Harrods.

Bentley For Men Absolute by Bentley continue to impress with this spice-laden oud. The champaca tree is part of the magnolia family and native to South East Asia. As the name suggests, there is a big white floral note here but it is tempered with a big hit of cognac and undertones of violet and sandalwood. £142 for 50ml. Available to buy online at John Lewis.

Cologne Absolute might sound like a contradiction, but it works. Fragrance making runs in the blood for Daxon (his mother was creative director at Molton Brown). Imagine a cologne, turn up the volume, add a heady dose of fresh tarragon - and you're there. £105 for 50ml.

Extracted using a solvent like hexane or ethanol

An absolute fragrance is similar to an essential oil, but the difference lies in the extraction process. To get technical, essential oils and absolutes are both highly concentrated extracts from flowers or plants. But where essential oils are produced through steam distillation, an absolute is extracted using a solvent such as hexane or ethanol. Absolutes therefore contain even more of the aromatic detail of the original ingredient (compared with steam-distilled extracts) making the smell closer to its "natural" form and, therefore, superior in quality.

This method is also more effective at capturing very delicate substances, such as rose and jasmine. Used in its true sense, absolutes are usually the top-billed super notes in fragrance compositions, but some fragrance makers use the term as a concept - in a similar fashion to "intense" or "extreme".

An absolute perfume definitely carries the promise of a concentrated fragrance experience, so if you like stronger scents with extra staying power, and you are confident in your choice, absolutes are, um, absolutely for you. Dunhill smash it again with a super smooth oud composed by Carlos Benaim. £90 for 100ml. Available to buy exclusively at Harrods.

Bentley For Men Absolute by Bentley continue to impress with this spice-laden oud.

The champaca tree is part of the magnolia family and native to South East Asia. As the name suggests, there is a big white floral note here but it is tempered with a big hit of cognac and undertones of violet and sandalwood. £142 for 50ml. Available to buy online at John Lewis.

Cologne Absolute might sound like a contradiction, but it works. Fragrance making runs in the blood for Daxon (his mother was creative director at Molton Brown). Imagine a cologne, turn up the volume, add a heady dose of fresh tarragon - and you're there. £105 for 50ml.

Smell closer to its natural form

An absolute fragrance is similar to an essential oil, but the difference lies in the extraction process. To get technical, essential oils and absolutes are both highly concentrated extracts from flowers or plants. But where essential oils are produced through steam distillation, an absolute is extracted using a solvent such as hexane or ethanol. Absolutes therefore contain even more of the aromatic detail of the original ingredient (compared with steam-distilled extracts) making the smell closer to its "natural" form and, therefore, superior in quality.

This method is also more effective at capturing very delicate substances, such as rose and jasmine. Used in its true sense, absolutes are usually the top-billed super notes in fragrance compositions, but some fragrance makers use the term as a concept - in a similar fashion to "intense" or "extreme".

An absolute perfume definitely carries the promise of a concentrated fragrance experience, so if you like stronger scents with extra staying power, and you are confident in your choice, absolutes are, um, absolutely for you.

An example of an absolute fragrance is Cologne Absolute. Fragrance making runs in the blood for Daxon (his mother was creative director at Molton Brown). Imagine a cologne, turn up the volume, add a heady dose of fresh tarragon - and you're there. £105 for 50ml.

Another example is Bentley For Men Absolute by Bentley. Bentley continue to impress with this spice-laden oud. £90 for 100ml. Available to buy exclusively at Harrods.

Super notes in fragrance compositions

An absolute fragrance is similar to an essential oil, but the difference lies in the extraction process. To get technical, essential oils and absolutes are both highly concentrated extracts from flowers or plants. But where essential oils are produced through steam distillation, an absolute is extracted using a solvent such as hexane or ethanol. Absolutes therefore contain even more of the aromatic detail of the original ingredient (compared with steam-distilled extracts) making the smell closer to its "natural" form and, therefore, superior in quality.

Used in its true sense, absolutes are usually the top-billed super notes in fragrance compositions, but some fragrance makers use the term as a concept - in a similar fashion to "intense" or "extreme".

An absolute perfume definitely carries the promise of a concentrated fragrance experience, so if you like stronger scents with extra staying power, and you are confident in your choice, absolutes are, um, absolutely for you.

Some examples of absolute fragrances include Bentley For Men Absolute by Bentley, Cologne Absolute, Dunhill smash it again with a super smooth oud composed by Carlos Benaim, and inspired by India, this woody-oriental fragrance features absolute of orange tree leaves, but what really comes across is lavender and cinnamon.

More effective at capturing delicate substances

An absolute fragrance is similar to an essential oil, but the difference lies in the extraction process. To get technical, essential oils and absolutes are both highly concentrated extracts from flowers or plants. But where essential oils are produced through steam distillation, an absolute is extracted using a solvent such as hexane or ethanol. Absolutes therefore contain even more of the aromatic detail of the original ingredient (compared with steam-distilled extracts) making the smell closer to its "natural" form and, therefore, superior in quality.

This method is also more effective at capturing very delicate substances, such as rose and jasmine. Used in its true sense, absolutes are usually the top-billed super notes in fragrance compositions, but some fragrance makers use the term as a concept - in a similar fashion to "intense" or "extreme".

An absolute perfume definitely carries the promise of a concentrated fragrance experience, so if you like stronger scents with extra staying power, and you are confident in your choice, absolutes are, um, absolutely for you.

An absolute fragrance is inspired by India, this woody-oriental fragrance features absolute of orange tree leaves, but what really comes across is lavender and cinnamon.

The champaca tree is part of the magnolia family and native to South East Asia. As the name suggests, there is a big white floral note here but it is tempered with a big hit of cognac and undertones of violet and sandalwood.

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