SAMPLE .. Honoré Payan, White Heliotrope, Parfum Exquis, Triple Extrait, DECANTED SAMPLE from Flacon, 1890, 1919, Paris, France ..

The time honoured perfume company, Honoré Payan was officially founded in 1854, and was situated in the historic center of Grasse. In 1886, Honoré Payan sold his company to his son Antoine and his nephew Edouard Bertrand. The brand Honoré Payan was retained but the name then becomes Payan Bertrand. The two partners, who began operating a new plant, eventually separated and dissolved the company in the early 20th century. In 1906, a Swiss industrialist, Mr. Mühlethaler redeemed the company and protected the business and its trademarks.

In 1907, Mühlethaler sells to Etienne Carémil, the Mayor of Grasse, the trademark Honoré Payan. He installs the existing perfume factory in a building that housed at one time the workshops of an engineering company. Mr. Carémil began to move immediately towards a tourist-oriented operation for its perfumery, which would include visitor workshops, and direct sales of finished products.

Since its creation in 1854 by Mr Payan, the Honoré Payan company has produced and sold perfumes, toilet waters, and essential oils in compliance with the purest tradition of the French perfumery industry and those of Grasse. Since 2002 the company has been partnered with Parfums J. Rigaud to perpetuate the craft and 'family' character of their products with the same concern that has emphasised product quality and satisfaction to their customers for over 150 years. The company still operates to this day from a charming building in Bar Sur Loup in Provence.

"It is often that we pass along bushes and hedges without paying much attention unless they possess either a striking colour or a heady scent to draw us in. Heliotropium, an annual flowering plant known as heliotrope, and belonging to the borage family (Boriginaceae), comprising as many as 300 species, is small in stature, but magnificent in both color and scent; which is why butterflies are so fond of it!

"The most usual heliotrope variety grown is heliotropium arborescens, resembling a small tree. Garden heliotrope has been a constant feature since at least the Victorian times, thanks to its delicious scent that oscillates between marzipan, vanilla, cherry pie, and almond .. hence its alternative name "cherry pie flower". Indeed vanilla essential oil contains an amount of piperonal or heliotropin in its composite, drawing the two close.

"The name comes from the Greek words "Helios", the sun, and "tropein" or turning, denoting the propensity of the flowers for turning towards solar rays. Thus is explained the old English name "turnsole", via the French "tournesol" .. turning towards the sun.

"Both maceration and enfleurage .. enrobing blossoms in clarified fat and then treating the fat with volatile solvents in order to catch the pure essence of the flower .. yield heliotrope essence from heliotrope peruvianum, but in perfumery formulae, heliotrope is replicated with heliotropin.

"Also known as piperonal or oil of sassafras, heliotropin derives from sassafras indeed .. Sassafras albidum .. and has been in wide demand for perfume and soaps for decades, especially for reasons of cost. The odour profile is powdery, like vanilla meringue with a helping of almond. The characteristic comforting scent of heliotrope has been proven to induce feelings of relaxation and comfort, a pampering atmosphere that finds itself very suited to languorous oriental fragrances and delicious "gourmands"." Fragrantia

Offered here is a change to sample and incredibly rare and old White Heliotrope. This is possibly the loveliest heliotrope I have yet smelled and I was tremendously fortunate to find this rare bottle and to then be able to get it open .. and I am longing to share it!