The Art of Perfumery, and Methods of Obtaining the Odors of Plants

All the citrine odors, verveine, vulnerary waters, Eau de Cologne, Eau de Portugal, Eau d'Arquebuzade, and lavender, can alone be brought to perfection by using the French spirit in their manufacture. If extract of jasmine, or extract of violet, &c., be made with the French or brandy spirit, the true characteristic odor of the flower is lost to the olfactory nerve--so completely does the oeanthic ether of the grape spirit hide the flowery aroma of the otto of violet in solution with it. This solves the paradox that English extract of violet and its compounds, "spring flowers," &c., is at all times in demand on the Continent, although the very flowers with which we make it are grown there. On the contrary, if an English perfumer attempts to make Eau de Portugal, &c., to bear any comparison as a fine odor to that made by Lubin, of Paris, without using grape spirit, his attempts will prove a failure. True, he makes Eau de Portugal even with English corn spirit, but judges of the article--and they alone can stamp its merit--discover instantly the same difference as the connoisseur finds out between "Patent British" and foreign brandy. Perhaps it may not be out of place here to observe that what is sold in this country as British brandy is in truth grape spirit, that is, foreign brandy very largely diluted with English spirit! By this scheme, a real semblance to the foreign brandy flavor is maintained; the difference in duty upon English and foreign spirit enables the makers of the "capsuled" article to undersell those who vend the unsophisticated Cognac.