TOUCH Grass(e)

What does it take to cruft Chanel's iconic N°5 fragrance? About a thousand jasmine blossoms to begin with...

- PASHAM ALWANI

The word jasmine comes from the Persian 'yasmin' which translates to 'gift from God' — and one breath of this snow-white, petaled scent proves the name fits.

But, not all jasmine tells the same story. Like fine wine, its fragrance shifts with the soil it's born from. The jasmine of Grasse in the south of France, not far from the French Riviera, a 'jasminum grandiflorum' variety, couldn't be more different from the lush, heady blooms we know in India. It's softer, with a whisper of green tea — shaped by the region's gentle Mediterranean climate. No wonder Grasse has been the perfume capital of the world since the 17th century — its mineral-rich soil a playground for the world's most precious scents, the most iconic being Chanel's N°5.

The jasmine flower has always been at the heart of Chanel N°5 - a floral bouquet that also comprises a lavish dose of aldehydes, ylang-ylang, bergamot, iris and rose. The story of the fragrance is as timeless as the scent itself. In 1921, Gabrielle Chanel commissioned perfumer Ernest Beaux to create something revolutionary. Inspired by the crisp air of the Arctic, he presented several blends, and it was the fifth that stole her heart.