Iris
Iris in perfumery is not the flower but the rhizome · buried, dried for three years, then pulverised. The result is the most expensive natural ingredient in fragrance, with a powdery, slightly carrot-like elegance.
About Iris
Iris pallida and Iris germanica yield orris butter · a waxy concrete extracted from the dried rhizome (root). The roots must mature underground for at least three years before harvesting, then dry for another three before extraction, making orris one of the longest production cycles in perfumery. The result is extraordinary: a powdery, slightly carrot-like, faintly sweet floral that reads as sophisticated and mature. Real orris absolute costs €40,000-€100,000 per kilo. It appears in Prada Infusion d'Iris, Chanel No. 19, Dior Homme. The note is grown almost exclusively in Tuscany, Italy.
Featured in 9 The Fragrance World perfumes
Common questions about Iris
- What does Iris smell like?
- Iris in perfumery is not the flower but the rhizome · buried, dried for three years, then pulverised. The result is the most expensive natural ingredient in fragrance, with a powdery, slightly carrot-like elegance.
- Where does Iris come from?
- Tuscany, Italy
- Is Iris a top, heart, or base note?
- Heart
- Which TFW fragrances feature Iris?
- 9 TFW fragrances currently feature Iris. See the list on this page for the full set.