“Soon you will be wearing a black robe and enter nunhood. You will not know each rosary bead has my tears on it.” – Fujiwara no Kenshi (藤原妍子, 994 – 1027)
Certain perfumes, like Zoologist’s Nightingale, begin with a strong association, created according to its theme. The result is an assimilation of impressions, concentrating a whole thematic universe in a bottle of perfume. Nightingale was started off by a poem and a particular image of springtime Japan. To gain a better understanding of Nightingale, perfumer 稲葉 智夫 (Tomoo Inaba) recalls the story of this poem:
“The poem was written by Fujiwara no Kenshi, the younger sister of Fujiwara no Shōshi, who at the time was the Empress of Japan. The Empress had decided to renounce her imperial duties and titles, and take vows as a Buddhist nun. On the day of her ordination ceremony, Fujiwara no Kenshi read to her this poem and subsequently gifted her a wooden box in which she found a rosary made out of agarwood. The box was tied with a ribbon and a plum blossom branch inserted in between … In Japan, the arrival of spring is signified by the blossoming of plum trees and the beautiful songs of nightingales, so I thought Nightingale would be the perfect name for this perfume.”
Nightingale is a chypre in a traditionally opulent floral style, its point of difference the fantasy note of plum blossom, constructed from an accord of ylang-ylang, rose, and geranium. Inaba emphasises the red tones of this bloom; a glamorous red as lavish as costume or ceremonial garb. Nightingale seamlessly descends from light to dark, an archetypical top of slightly sour bergamot leads to the voluptuous and fruity blossom notes of this fragrance, whilst violet flower adds a tender and powder-soft vintage feeling, echoing the tearful melancholy of the poem. Saffron adds strength, bravery, and loving warmth, but also a metallic feel that complements the mossy base of this fragrance. The mossy-floral heart of Nightingale lasts a long time, its florals shifting slowly as incense, oud, and patchouli come forward – revealing a darker, inky, and bitter leather sensation. The rose withers and loses its freshness but regains this in potency. Nightingale is the olfactory equivalent of a pink kimono, celebrating springtime.
