Cyperus Ruber 1848

Cyperus Ruber by Guerlain, launched in 1848 as part of the Jardin d’Hiver Collection, embodied the refined naturalism and intellectual elegance that defined mid-19th-century perfumery. The name itself, Cyperus ruber, is Latin—pronounced roughly "see-PEH-roos ROO-bair"—meaning “red cyperus” or “red sedge.” Guerlain’s choice of name reflects both scientific curiosity and poetic imagination. During this period, perfumers and botanists alike were fascinated by the classification and study of exotic plants, and the use of Latin binomials lent fragrances an air of scholarly sophistication.

The imagery evoked by Cyperus Ruber is one of quiet richness and earthy sensuality—a blend of damp, sun-warmed soil, aromatic roots, and fine herbs drying in the afternoon light. The red sedge, a relative of the papyrus and vetiver families, was known for its fibrous roots, which released a warm, woody, and faintly spicy aroma when crushed. This connection would have positioned Cyperus Ruber as an elegant, earthy composition—an olfactory bridge between the botanical world and the cultivated refinement of the salon.

The year 1848 was one of revolution and transformation across Europe, marking the end of the July Monarchy and the dawn of the Second Republic in France. Amid social upheaval, fashion and art clung to ideals of beauty, nature, and order. In perfumery, a turn away from the heavy animalic scents of amber and musk had begun; Guerlain’s Jardin d’Hiver collection symbolized this new aesthetic—one of natural grace, botanical authenticity, and scientific artistry.

Women of the time, drawn to the intellectual and poetic resonance of nature, would have found Cyperus Ruber intriguing and sophisticated. Its name suggested cultivated taste and a sense of modern refinement, rather than overt sensuality. It would likely have appealed to women who favored understated elegance over ostentation—those who found beauty in subtlety and intellect in fragrance.

In scent, Cyperus Ruber would have unfolded as woody, rooty, and gently spicy, reminiscent of vetiver and papyrus but softer and more rounded. Hints of dried herbs and faint resin might have deepened the base, giving the perfume an aura of grounded serenity. Within the context of mid-19th-century perfumery, this composition would have stood out as unusually modern—less floral, more botanical, and aligned with a growing fascination for natural essences. It represented not just a fragrance, but a quiet statement of refinement: the perfume of someone who found poetry in the earth itself.

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? The name Cyperus ruber points to a sedge plant related to Cyperus rotundus, or nutgrass, which was known for its aromatic rhizomes used in early perfumery. These roots yield a warm, woody-earthy aroma with dry, slightly smoky, and resinous undertones, similar to vetiver or cypriol (nagarmotha). Guerlain would probably have softened these rooty tones with floral or balsamic notes, in keeping with the Jardin d’Hiver style—a “blended bouquet” rather than a single-note botanical study.

Imagine the scent opening with a delicate herbal freshness, perhaps lifted by bergamot or neroli to give a light, airy introduction. Beneath that, the body would unfold into the dry, aromatic warmth of sedge root, tinged with spice—maybe clove or cinnamon—and faint hints of hay or iris, lending smoothness and powdery refinement. A trace of amber or benzoin resin might round out the base, giving it the polished sweetness typical of early Guerlain compositions.

The overall impression would have been woody, slightly spicy, and resinous, with a suggestion of damp roots, dried herbs, and polished wood furniture in a sunlit conservatory. Compared to the sweeter floral waters of the time, Cyperus Ruber would have felt intellectual, mysterious, and modern, appealing to women (and perhaps men) who appreciated depth and restraint over frivolous charm.

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."