Nez #5: Natural vs. Synthetic

Published twice a year, Nez explores the world around us via our sense of smell. It provides an insight into the vital role that olfactory sensations play in our lives in a novel approach that encompasses art, literature, science, history, food, and perfume. While a large proportion of each issue is obviously given over to fragrance and perfumery, the relationship between scent and taste is inescapably part of the magazine as well.

This issue is in English. An infographic traces the history and use of cardamom, the Queen of Spices, from India to the Mahgreb to Scandinavia. Two distillers speak of creating flavor blends as if they were compounding perfumes. A pair of lecturers from the Musée d’Orsay evoke the scents from a 1640 Dutch still life featuring a table laden with desserts. And just as some chefs and cooks are examining issues of eco-responsibilty, sustainable development, and fair trade, so too are perfumers, who confront many of the same issues.