“I know that if odour were visible as color is, I’d see the summer garden aureoled in rainbow clouds” – Robert Bridges (Testament of Beauty)

From the roots to the rarest flower. The analogy perfectly fits when talking about Grossmith London, a prestigious British perfume house that today relives a new era of splendor after a long dormant period. A charming family saga, the one told by Simon and Amanda Brooke current owners of the company.

In 2005, Simon undertakes a research to reconstruct his family tree and, among the ancestors, finds the names of John Grossmith and John Lipscomb Grossmith, respectively founder and nose of a fragrance house whose history begins way back in 1835.  The company J. Grossmith & Son, specialized in production of fragrances and toiletries, had been awarded with prestigious Royal Warrants by Queen Alexandra and by the royal courts of Greece and Spain, as well as with a gold medal at Great Exhibition of 1851. However, the difficult postwar years brought about the end of the production activity and Grossmith & Son, sold in 1970, was definitively closed in 1980.

Victorian Bouquet J. Grossmit & Son London (source Fragrantica)

Simon Brook’s research leads him to the discovery of a fragrant heritage through the family company’s creations, up to the discovery of medals, awards and, not least, two leather ledgers that contained more than 300 formulas of the perfumes of J. Grossmith & Son. From here, begins the restoration of the original fragrances that, entrusted to Master Perfumers of the Robertet Group, revive, flourish and shine again.

The precious inheritance of the fragrance house is witnessed by some creations with exotic and strongly evocative names, such as Haso-No-Hana (of 1888, inspired to Japanese Lotus Lily), Phul-Nana (lovely flower, in Hindi, of 1891) and Shem-El-Nessim (Arabic term for “smelling the breeze”, of 1906), which constitute today’s Classic Collection.

On the wake of a glorious past, Betrothal (mutual promise of marriage), a fragrance created in 1893 on the occasion of the engagement of King George V and Mary of Teck, and Victorian Bouquet of 1897, who paid tribute the Diamond Jubilee (ie 60 years of reign) of Queen Victoria, inspire the Royal Collection. Betrothal has been relaunched in 2011, for the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton and, in 2012, Grossmith London presents Diamond Jubilee Bouquet, created for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and inspired to the original Victorian Bouquet.

Diamond Jubilee Bouquet, produced in a limited edition run of 500 bottles, is described by the web site of the perfume house Grossmith London as “a sparkling and delicate floral bouquet”. The soft cloud of colorful blooms released by this refined composition, leads me to imagine that, if a lush summer garden could sprout at the end of the rainbow, probably, this would be its scent.

Diamond Jubilee Bouquet starts glittering. Golden drops of citruses on a soft carpet of freshly cut white flowers. The Lily of the valley, fragile and innocent, melts the heady scent of narcissus in a dew of carnation, whose spicy nunces raise a white blanket of petals like a broad chiffon drape revealing the sumptuous victorian bouquet in the heart of the fragrance: rose, violet and jasmin draw a coloured rainbow that takes shape on a cloud of iris. Soft and gentle as a feather, the enveloping and powdery caress of infinite petals slowly settles on a cozy and sensual base of vetiver, tonka bean and amber, remaining suspended like an endless dream, lulled by a breeze of musk, vanilla and hawthorn. This last note, in particular, has both a symbolic and practical value in the composition. Hawthorn, symbol of hope, protection and stability reaches full bloom in May and announces the arrival of the most glorious season: summer. The odorous note used in perfumery is represented by a special anisic aldehyde which supplies freshness and radiance to the bouquet, allowing it to bloom in all its magnificent beauty. The nose behind the fragrance is Trevor Nicholl.

Diamond Jubilee Bouquet has a discreet sillage but lasts on the skin for several hours with a regal elegance and a romantic and fairy allure. Grossmith London are exclusively distributed in Italy by Campomarzio70 or you can check Grossmith perfumes stockists on the following link.