Collection: Perfumer's guide to creating a violet note

Viola odorata, the fragrant violet, is a historically sought-after rare perfume note. It is a powdery floral with sweet, woody and cucumber undertones. In a fragrance, violet sits alongside other heart notes, where it provides a floral lift and powdery smoothness. Since extracting violet flowers is nearly impossible, the common practice is to use an artificial violet accord. Viotril ABQ5770M by Givaudan is a violet base that offers a complete impression of violet flowers and leaves, blending the green, woody, and powdery aspects of the whole violet plant; a hidden gem in our opinion and well worth including in the perfumer’s palette.

For a more focused violet flower accord, ionones are the key materials that convey the signature sweet, powdery smell. These molecules are naturally produced by the plant and are inseparable from its identity. Ionone alpha offers a sweet violet, while ionone beta is more woody. Dihydro ionone beta leans even further into woody amber territory while preserving the purple character. Commercial perfumes often use methylionone gamma and isoraldine 95; ionones not present in nature with an abstract velvety texture, useful to those looking to add a tint of violet without committing to the full note. Whilst the ionones alone provide a recognisable aroma, supporting materials can take this accord from Parma violet candy to a live violet flower. Other naturally present molecules include alpha damascone, a cousin to ionones which provides a juicy petal impression, while dimethyl hydroquinone grounds the accord with a dark facet and ethyl benzoate supports it with a heady liquorice note. That said, ionones are the key molecules in this accord and departing too far from them risks muddling the note. In our experience, violet pairs well woods like cedar and sandalwood as well as rose.