Azalea Melaleuca 1848

Extrait d’Azaléa Melaleuca, launched in 1848 as part of Guerlain’s distinguished Jardin d’Hiver Collection, epitomizes the maison’s fascination with botanical purity paired with inventive composition. The name Azaléa Melaleuca is rooted in Latin and botanical nomenclature, evoking both familiarity and exoticism. Pronounced as "Ah-zah-LAY-ah Meh-lah-LOO-kah", it immediately conjures visions of vibrant, delicate azalea blossoms mingling with the glossy, resinous leaves of the Melaleuca tree, more commonly known as tea tree. The title suggests elegance, freshness, and subtle power, reflecting a refined sensibility that balances softness with depth.

The fragrance itself is a floral oriental, a combination both delicate and complex. The azalea note offers a tender, vibrant floral character, lightly fruity and subtly sweet, reminiscent of springtime blooms in a shaded garden. This brightness is underlined by the warm, resinous depth of Melaleuca, whose essential oil exudes earthy, camphoraceous facets, tempered with hints of citrus and herbal green. Together, the notes create a multi-dimensional composition that is simultaneously lively and grounded, a hallmark of Guerlain’s early mastery in blending natural essences.

In 1848, Europe was a period of cultural transition. The July Monarchy had fallen in France, and the country was steeped in political upheaval, yet high society continued to prize elegance, refinement, and the symbolic power of fashion. Women of the period would have related to Azaléa Melaleuca as a scent of sophistication and cultivated taste, suitable for evening salons or refined outdoor gatherings. Its floral oriental character would have aligned with contemporary trends favoring complex, layered fragrances, yet the specific pairing of azalea and Melaleuca gave it a unique identity, distinct from the heavier, more animalic perfumes that dominated earlier decades.

The word Azaléa Melaleuca, interpreted in scent, suggests a blooming garden with a hint of exotic, resinous intrigue—soft and enchanting, yet with an undercurrent of subtle power. In context, Guerlain’s creation was both in step with the era’s fascination with botanical essences and daring in its inventive pairing, demonstrating the maison’s role as a forward-looking innovator in perfumery, crafting perfumes that were both elegant and modern, appealing to women of discernment seeking refined and original compositions.

Jardin d’Hiver Collection:

Guerlain’s Jardin d’Hiver Collection, launched in 1848, represents a remarkable celebration of botanical singularity and refined artistry. Each fragrance within the collection is devoted to a single floral or plant note, captured with painstaking care to highlight its unique character and essence. The collection’s Latin-styled names—Tilia microphylla, Lathyrus odorans, Mimosa fragrans, Cyperus ruber, and the most recent addition (1853), Mimosa Esterhazya—lend an air of classical sophistication, evoking the scholarly prestige and aristocratic refinement associated with the study of plants and natural sciences. These names, both precise and exotic, signal the high level of craft and attention devoted to each fragrance, appealing to a clientele who valued knowledge, taste, and exclusivity.

At the 1851 Universal Exposition, these perfumes competed not merely as products of luxury, but as demonstrations of technical mastery and artistic innovation. Each extrait is a distillation of a single botanical note, conveying the essence of the plant in a way that is at once vivid, nuanced, and enduring. Tilia microphylla, for instance, would have unfolded with the delicate, honeyed softness of its linden blossoms, while Mimosa fragrans exudes a sunlit, powdery warmth, evocative of early spring mornings. Cyperus ruber, with its earthy, subtly green facets, contrasts with the intensely floral sweetness of Lathyrus odorans, creating a spectrum of olfactory experiences within a unified concept.

The collection was designed for the highest echelons of society, intended for women who were not merely consumers of fragrance but arbiters of taste and refinement. These perfumes were not relegated to the dressing table as casual adornments; they were worn as statements of identity and prestige, perfuming the air with subtlety and elegance. In essence, the Jardin d’Hiver Collection embodies the aristocratic ethos of mid-19th century Paris—a union of botanical scholarship, artistic sophistication, and the cultivated elegance expected of the queens of fashion and fortune. Each fragrance is an intimate portrait of a singular flower, captured with the utmost care, and presented as a jewel of olfactory refinement.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a floral oriental fragrance.

• Top notes: neroli, violet
• Middle notes: tuberose, heliotropin
• Base notes: benzoin, vanillin, musk

Bottle:

Presented in the carre flacon.

Petit courrier des dames: Journal des modes, 1848:

"By creating the Château des Fleurs, inventing the Jardin d’Hiver, and making flowers fashionable in all the salons of Paris, the trend of perfumery simultaneously returned—after having been somewhat neglected due to the overuse of amber, musk, and vetiver. Yet the perfumes that reappear today bear no resemblance to those bourgeois emanations of old-fashioned coquetry. At Guerlain, 11 Rue de la Paix, however, belongs the right to this thoroughly modern renewal, offering compositions more delicate, more suave, more gentle on the nerves, and more voluptuous to the sense of smell than any other.

Ladies of good society are recognized by these perfumes, just as the high lineage of noble families is recognized by their coats of arms; and when a lock of hair flutters near you, when a magnificent handkerchief falls beside you, or when a fresh, coquettish glove happens to brush near your lips, you can judge by the fragrance emanating from that hair, that handkerchief, or those gloves whether the woman to whom they belong has received at Guerlain the mark of good taste, fashion, and refinement.

New odors composed by Guerlain:

• Extrait de Lolium agriphyllum 
• Extrait de Phlomis asplenia, 
• Extrait d'Azalea melaleuca
• Extrait de Cyparisse Elaidon
• Extrait d'Hyemalis anthelia
• Extrait de Cytise sylvaria 
• Extrait d'Anthemia nobilis 
• Extrait de Cyperus ruber  
• Extrait de Tilia micropluilla
• Extrait d'Hymenaea nitida 
• Extrait de Mimosa fragrans
• Extrait de Caryophilus album 
• Extrait d'Amyris Polyolens 
• Extrait de Polyanthe suaveolens  
• Extrait de Lathyrus odorans  
• Extrait d'Ocymum dulce 

By bringing to light these entirely new perfumes, Guerlain points out that they can only be found at home, and recommends to be on guard against the imitations that one will try to make."

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown. It was still being sold in 1856

Bouquet pour le Jardin du Roi c1830

Launched around 1830, Bouquet du Jardin du Roi—translated from French as “Bouquet of the King’s Garden” (pronounced boo-kay doo zhar-dahn doo rwa)—was one of Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain’s earliest creations and an exquisite reflection of the opulent, romantic spirit of its time. The name evokes the floral abundance and manicured elegance of the royal gardens of France, likely referring to the Jardin du Roi in Paris, which was later renamed the Jardin des Plantes during the French Restoration. In the early 1830s, the reigning monarch was King Louis-Philippe I, known as the “Citizen King,” whose reign (1830–1848) marked a period of renewed refinement, intellectual curiosity, and artistic expression following years of political turmoil. Guerlain’s title would have spoken both to royal prestige and to a sense of national pride in France’s botanical heritage—an homage to the cultivated beauty of nature under royal patronage.

The words Bouquet du Jardin du Roi conjure images of a grand, sun-dappled garden at the height of spring—paths lined with orange blossoms, roses, jasmines, and violets, their perfumes mingling in the warm air as though the flowers themselves were engaged in courtly conversation. The phrase “bouquet” implies not only a literal gathering of blooms but also a harmony of scents, meticulously balanced and composed. The emotions it evokes are those of luxury, grace, and serenity—a perfumed portrait of nobility, gentility, and a love for nature cultivated by artifice.

The 1830s were years of transformation in France—ushering in the Romantic period, a time when art, literature, and fashion turned toward emotion, beauty, and nature. Women’s fashions reflected this romanticism: gowns with delicate puffed sleeves, soft pastel silks, floral embroidery, and graceful bonnets adorned with ribbons and blooms. The toilette became a symbol of refinement, and fine perfume—previously a privilege of the aristocracy—was becoming more widely accessible to the emerging bourgeoisie. Guerlain, then a young perfumer and chemist, was among the first to combine scientific precision with poetic artistry, making Bouquet du Jardin du Roi both a symbol of refinement and a testament to modern innovation.

A woman of the period encountering Bouquet du Jardin du Roi would have been transported by its elegance. The idea of wearing “the King’s garden” was both aspirational and romantic—a gesture of participation in a world of courtly sophistication, even for those beyond palace walls. In scent, Bouquet du Jardin du Roi would likely have been interpreted as a floral-oriental harmony, where the freshness of French garden blossoms met the exotic warmth of amber and spices imported from the East. The result would have been a perfume of **contrasts—light and shadow, innocence and opulence—**much like the romantic literature and art of the age.

In the context of perfumery at the time, Guerlain’s creation stood out for its refined complexity. Most fragrances of the early 19th century were simple floral waters or single-note compositions such as rose, violet, or orange blossom. Bouquet du Jardin du Roi, however, would have introduced a more sophisticated construction—layered, blended, and harmonized—foreshadowing the modern concept of a perfume as a structured work of art. In doing so, Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain laid the foundation for the Guerlain style that would define French perfumery for generations to come: a union of nature, elegance, and a quiet sense of grandeur, captured in scent.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Bouquet du Jardin du Roi is classified as a floral oriental fragrance.

• Top notes: lemon, bergamot, citron, orange blossom, verbena, cassie, rose 
• Middle notes: lavender, mint, seringa, rose, tuberose, jasmine, violet, iris, clove
• Base notes: aloes, rose, rosewood, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, ambergris, tolu balsam, Peru balsam, civet

Scent Profile:

Smelling Bouquet du Jardin du Roi is like stepping through the gilded gates of a royal garden at dawn—where the air shimmers with light, moisture, and fragrance. The perfume begins in a burst of citrus brightness: the zesty clarity of lemon and bergamot from southern Italy sparkles against the slightly more resinous, aromatic depth of citron from Corsica. Each fruit contributes its own personality—lemon offers crisp sharpness through citral and limonene, while bergamot, rich in linalyl acetate, provides a smooth, floral sweetness that softens the edges. The citron, heavy with aldehydes and terpenes, lends an almost candied richness, grounding the citrus accord so it feels more sun-warmed than tart. Together, they create a top note as luminous and refreshing as early morning sunlight filtering through leaves.

Woven among the citrus is the tender perfume of orange blossom, most likely from the orchards of Grasse or Calabria—its honeyed sweetness carried by natural molecules like linalool and nerolidol that add depth and creaminess. The orange blossom here feels refined and radiant, a prelude to the lush florals to come. Verbena, with its grassy-lemon aroma, lifts the blend with a cooling greenness, while cassie (acacia farnesiana) contributes its distinctive powdery, mimosa-like scent—floral yet slightly spicy, enhanced by benzyl alcohols that give it an almondy warmth. Rose threads throughout the top, its velvety petals a recurring motif in this composition, suggesting that Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain used rose oil from both Grasse and Bulgaria, each contributing something unique: the French variety light and dewy, the Bulgarian more opulent and honeyed.

As the fragrance opens further, the heart blooms like the center of a sunlit parterre. Lavender and mint lend a crisp, aromatic lift—lavender bringing freshness through linalool and coumarin, mint adding a natural mentholic sparkle that keeps the sweetness in check. The inclusion of seringa (mock orange), a beloved 19th-century note, offers a delicate, jasmine-like scent tinged with green freshness, evoking white petals glistening with dew. Then come the grand floral signatures: rose, tuberose, jasmine, violet, and iris.

The tuberose, likely from Provence or imported from India, adds narcotic richness through indoles and methyl salicylate, while jasmine, possibly from Grasse, contributes its velvety sensuality via natural jasmonates and benzyl acetate. Violet, through ionones, brings a powdery softness—an almost candied quality that feels romantic and nostalgic. The iris, extracted from Florentine orris root, lends a buttery, woody powderiness, its irones evoking fine cosmetics and face powder. The touch of clove—with its eugenol-spiced warmth—introduces a faintly exotic accent, giving the florals a sense of body and intrigue, as if the bouquet has been dusted with an amber glow.

Then the base unfolds, grounding the airy florals with a luxurious, sensual foundation. The presence of aloes (agarwood) gives the perfume a faintly smoky, resinous undertone—rare and precious even in the early 19th century. Rosewood and sandalwood, likely sourced from Brazil and Mysore respectively, contribute smooth, creamy woodiness. The Mysore sandalwood, rich in santalols, lends warmth and longevity, blending seamlessly with vanilla from Madagascar—its vanillin molecules sweet yet rounded, adding a comforting creaminess that tempers the floral opulence.

The animalic notes—musk, ambergris, and civet—weave through the base like the soft textures of velvet and fur. Natural musk and civet (in the 1830s, still derived from animals) would have lent a deep sensuality, enhancing the skin-like warmth of the composition. Ambergris, with its complex marine sweetness, provides an airy, diffusive lift, ensuring that the perfume doesn’t grow heavy. Tolu and Peru balsams, resinous exudates from South American trees, bring a final touch of sweetness and depth through natural cinnamic and benzoic acids—molecules that anchor the fragrance in a soft, ambery glow. These balsams would have been highly prized at the time, symbolizing both luxury and the allure of faraway lands.

The result is a floral-oriental symphony, where nature’s most delicate blooms meet the rarest resins and woods of empire. The natural components are subtly enhanced by the era’s early experiments in synthetic isolation—perhaps with rectified oils or purified alcohols—to make the perfume smoother and more stable. Bouquet du Jardin du Roi smells as if it were painted in oil rather than watercolor: luminous, textured, and enduring.

To smell it is to walk through a royal garden at twilight—the air heavy with the mingling scents of citrus trees, blooming tuberose, and polished woods, touched by a whisper of musk and amber. It is both a perfume and a portrait, one that captures the elegance, sensuality, and scientific artistry of Guerlain’s earliest genius—a fragrance born from nature, perfected by craft, and destined for the refined world of the 19th-century court.

Bottles:

Presented in the elegant Carré flacon and the flacon Plat, it was part of Guerlain’s tradition of perfumes celebrating regal and cultural themes. 

Fate of the Fragrance:

The fragrance enjoyed popularity in its time but was later discontinued, with the exact date remaining unknown.