Launched in 1848 as part of Guerlain’s prestigious Jardin d’Hiver Collection, Polyanthe Suaveolens is a fragrant tribute to the lush, intoxicating beauty of the tuberose plant (Polianthes). Guerlain’s choice of name reflects both botanical precision and classical elegance: Polyanthe references the multi-flowered nature of the tuberose, while suaveolens, from Latin, translates simply as “sweet-smelling.” Pronounced as "po-lee-ANTH-eh swah-vay-OH-lens", the name evokes images of a moonlit garden in full bloom, the air thick with heady, creamy white petals, a scent simultaneously exotic and familiar. The words suggest both abundance and refinement, conjuring the visual of cascading tuberose clusters and the quiet allure of evening floral air drifting across the gardens of 19th-century Paris.
During the mid-19th century, the Parisian elite were cultivating a renewed appreciation for floral-centered perfumes, moving away from the overuse of heavy amber, musk, and vetiver that had dominated previous decades. Women of the era would have regarded Polyanthe Suaveolens as both a statement of sophistication and a reflection of contemporary taste: soft yet unmistakably luxurious, feminine without being cloying. The fragrance aligns perfectly with the romantic, slightly exotic imagery prized in the salons of the time, where refined perfumery was an essential marker of social standing. Guerlain’s use of a Latinized, scholarly name further added to its cachet, giving it a sense of intellectual and aristocratic refinement.
As a floral oriental fragrance, the scent would have enveloped its wearer in a rich bouquet: the top notes immediately revealing the creamy, radiant essence of tuberose, sweet and opulent, with a subtle green freshness that prevents the richness from becoming overwhelming. The heart would bloom fully with the complex floral sweetness, evoking honeyed petals with a slight waxy undertone characteristic of Polianthes, interwoven with soft undertones of jasmine or orange blossom if included in the composition. The base notes would provide a warm, slightly resinous depth—perhaps soft musks or balsamic hints—enhancing the natural richness of the tuberose while adding longevity and an enveloping sensuality.
In the context of 1848, Polyanthe Suaveolens was both unique and perfectly of its time. While other perfumes were exploring lighter floral or chypre compositions, Guerlain’s choice to spotlight the intense, creamy tuberose set this fragrance apart, creating a signature floral oriental that married the elegance of classical nomenclature with the boldness of contemporary scent innovation. Women of the period would have perceived it as an emblem of refinement, a subtle yet striking perfume that suggested both cultivated taste and an appreciation for the exotic—a fragrance to be worn proudly in the drawing rooms of Parisian society.
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 for women.
- Top notes: bergamot, Portuguese orange, cassie, anise aldehyde, geranium, jonquil, jasmine, isoeugenol, rose de mai, Bulgarian rose
- Middle notes: tuberose extract, tuberose essence, jasmine, heliotropin, orris, para-methylacetophenone
- Base notes: cedar, styrax, sandalwood, tonka bean, coumarin, vanillin, patchouli, vetiver, musk, musk ketone, musk ambrette, ambergris, civet, tolu balsam, oakmoss, dimethylhydroquinone
Scent Profile:
Polyanthe Suaveolens by Guerlain, a masterful floral oriental, unfolds like a living garden in full bloom, each note revealing its character in turn. Opening with the top notes, the fragrance greets the senses with the sparkling brightness of bergamot and Portuguese orange. The Italian bergamot offers its soft, bitter-orange freshness, its natural aroma chemicals—linalyl acetate and limonene—bringing a crisp, slightly green citrus sharpness that lifts the perfume immediately. Portuguese orange adds a sweeter, sun-warmed glow, highlighting the balance between zesty vibrancy and subtle sweetness. Intertwined are cassie and geranium, floral notes that introduce a powdery, slightly green complexity: cassie, a variety of mimosa absolute, carries a warm, honeyed facet, while geranium imparts a rosy, minty freshness enriched by citronellol and geraniol.
Jonquil and jasmine deepen the initial floral impression with delicate sweetness, the narcotic richness of jasmine’s natural indole creating a soft, intoxicating heart. A hint of anise aldehyde adds a sparkling, subtly licorice-like twist, its synthetic brightness amplifying the natural sweetness of the florals, while isoeugenol—with its spicy, clove-like warmth—enhances the cassie and geranium, giving the opening both lift and depth. The bouquet is rounded with the rich, dewy tones of Rose de Mai and Bulgarian rose, their essential oils distinguished by origin: the Grasse rose offers a soft, buttery floral, while Bulgarian rose, harvested in the Rose Valley, contributes a more intensely fragrant, honeyed, and slightly metallic nuance, elevating the perfume’s sophistication.
The middle notes immerse you fully in the creaminess of tuberose, captured both as extract and essence, producing a layered, multi-dimensional floral heart. The tuberose exudes its classic buttery, almost green floral aroma, with fatty lactones and esters providing its signature creamy richness; the dual use of extract and essence ensures both immediacy and lingering depth. Accompanying it are more jasmine facets, amplifying the narcotic sweetness, while heliotropin introduces a subtle almond-like warmth that suggests a whisper of vanilla cream. Orris root, with its powdery, violet-like aroma, softens the heart with an elegant, slightly earthy powderiness, its naturally occurring irones complementing the florals with a refined, almost ethereal undertone. Para-methylacetophenone, a synthetic, highlights and stabilizes the floral richness, enhancing the jasmine and tuberose without overpowering them, giving the composition a luminous, airy clarity that dances across the skin.
The base notes anchor the perfume in warmth and sensuality. Cedarwood offers a dry, resinous woodiness that contrasts the lush floral heart, while styrax and tolu balsam add balsamic sweetness, their natural cinnamic esters imparting a gentle spiciness and soft amber glow. Sandalwood, with its creamy, slightly milky woody scent, harmonizes with tonka bean and coumarin, evoking the subtle warmth of sugared almonds. Vanillin enhances these gourmand facets with a silky, soft sweetness, complementing the florals and woods alike.
Earthier elements emerge with patchouli and vetiver, their natural sesquiterpenes contributing smoky, green, and dry nuances, while musk, musk ketone, and musk ambrette offer both animalic richness and soft diffusion, enveloping the wearer in a sensual aura. Finally, touches of ambergris and civet provide depth and complexity, their slightly marine and animalic undertones grounding the composition, while oakmoss and dimethylhydroquinone introduce a subtle forest-floor earthiness, enhancing longevity and giving the scent a quietly sophisticated finish.
Altogether, Polyanthe Suaveolens is a multi-layered floral oriental, where bright citrus and powdery florals evolve into creamy, narcotic tuberose and jasmine, settling into a warm, resinous, musky base. The interplay of natural essences and synthetics—like anise aldehyde, heliotropin, para-methylacetophenone, and musks—creates both immediacy and enduring elegance, making the perfume an immersive, living bouquet that balances brightness, richness, and sensual depth with remarkable artistry. It is a fragrance that would have embodied 19th-century Parisian refinement while remaining timeless in its ability to captivate the senses.
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."
