Scent of luxury: India's jasmine infuses global perfume
Jasmine only issues its powerful scent when it blooms at night, and pickers must select only the ones yet to open. «We know which one to pick,» said Malarkodi, who gave only one name, as she snapped her fingers carefully to pluck the buds, tucking into her hair a few flowers that had already bloomed. «There is no use of these… but I like the smell,» she said.
Jasmine's fragrant flowers have been used for millennia in India to honour the gods, and the scent is a key part of world-famous perfumes. In the ancient city of Madurai in southern India, jasmine is omnipresent — attracting buyers from some of the world's most recognisable perfumes, including J'adore by Dior and Mon Guerlain by Guerlain. «It is one of the most expensive oils in the world,» said Raja Palaniswamy, a director of Jasmine Concrete, which squeezes vast quantities of jasmine to create a few precious drops of delicious-smelling essence.
The women picking the buds earn around $1.50 a day per day for about four to five kilograms — with each kilogram made up of around 4,000 buds. Once picked, the jasmine is rushed to market, selling for anything between 200 and 2,000 rupees ($2.40-$24) a kilogram on special days. — 'Expression of love' — The jasmine of Madurai, an Asian variety with the scientific name Jasminum sambac, was given a «geographical indication» tag from the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2013, which noted its «deep fragrance».
«It is lush, it is rich, it is vibrant,» said Thierry Wasser, perfumer and «nose» at French beauty house Guerlain, speaking to AFP while visiting the jasmine operators. The jasmine in Madurai has a «smoothness… and something floral which is immutable,» Wasser added. Wasser sources the jasmine oil he uses from
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