Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋 

We apologise for the issue with last week’s quiz. Readers reported that the answers were not displayed correctly. Of course, the correct answer to the ask for ‘a rare and precious substance from the sea’ was Ambergris.

🗓️ Content of this Issue

1. Story: Shawn Maher - The most transparent perfumer in history!

2. Quiz Time: What won't you find in a Fougère Accord 🌿?

3. Smell Business: Digitising the Molecular World (Osmo AI)

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Shawn Maher. Shawn, voted Perfumer of the Year 2020 by CaFleureBon, has created more fragrances to date than Jacques Guerlain and is regularly seen at the Art and Olfaction Awards. Known for his brands, Chatillon Lux and Maher Olfactive, Shawn brings a unique blend of music, history, and St. Louis pride to his creations.

Shawn, when did you start noticing your passion for scents?

I didn’t notice it consciously at first, but I’ve always loved the smell of nature. I grew up in a semi-rural area with lots of hiking, caves, forests, and creeks. I always loved the smells of undergrowth, the cool water in the creeks and caves, and flowers in bloom. It wasn’t until later that I made the connection to perfume. I wasn't exposed to perfume much growing up, but I always loved everyday smells.

How does your background in music influence your perfumery?

Playing in a band for years, I noticed a lot of similarities between music and perfumery. Both involve composing, using notes, and even working with a 'perfumer's organ.' Just like a song has bass notes that support the melody, a perfume has base notes that support the top notes. This approach helps me create harmonious and emotionally resonant scents, much like composing a song where every note has its place.

Let's talk about Chatillon Lux and Maher Olfactive. How do you distinguish between the two?

Chatillon Lux is inspired by St. Louis’s rich history and aims to make niche perfumery accessible. I wanted it to be affordable so that everyone could enjoy it. On the other hand, Maher Olfactive is my playground for rare materials and personal inspirations, whether it's a song or an intriguing scent note. It allows me to explore artistic perfumery without constraints.

St. Louis plays a significant role in your inspiration. How do you incorporate it into your creations?

St. Louis is a city with a rich yet under appreciated history. I love capturing its essence in my perfumes. For instance, with Chatillon Lux, I created scents inspired by local legends and landscapes. The city’s unique blend of cultures and its scrappy, underdog spirit are central themes in my work

As a German I need to ask this. Can you share the story behind your creation, ‘Weinstrasse’?

The Missouri Weinstrasse holds a special connection for me as my great-grandparents immigrated from Heidelberg to America in the 1800s. St. Louis and its surroundings have a significant German population, and the Missouri Weinstrasse evokes the Rhine River region. My goal was to capture the lush, sweet smell of harvest time, paying tribute to the rich German heritage and the beautiful landscapes of the area.

To create this scent, I used a fougère base with a white wine note to evoke the essence of the vineyards during harvest. The process involved carefully balancing these notes to ensure the fragrance reflected the ripe, almost overripe sweetness of the grapes just before harvest. This scent is a tribute not only to the landscapes but also to the cultural heritage that many in the region share.

You have been featured several times with American Perfumer. What’s the concept behind the brand?

American Perfumer, often called the Frédéric Malle of America, focuses on highlighting independent American perfumers. Dave, the founder, is passionate about showcasing our unique creative processes and ensuring we are front and center. Working with him allows us to push boundaries and explore innovative ideas, as seen in our collaboration on Benton Park, which features a unique tuberose accord inspired by a headspace analysis.

Shawn, with scent-notes.com you bring fragrance creation to a next level by taking readers behind your creative process. Can you tell us more about that?

Yes, with scent-notes.com, I take readers and viewers behind the scenes of every of my creative processes. I film and write about the origins of new scents, from initial inspiration to final formulation. It's about demystifying the art of perfumery and sharing the journey with those who appreciate the craft. This transparency and storytelling aspect is something I believe adds a lot of value and connection for perfume enthusiasts.

Osmo AI: Digitising the Molecular World 🖥️

Osmo.ai is at the forefront of a revolutionary mission: digitising the molecular landscape. Unlike traditional AI companies focusing on visual or auditory data, Osmo specializes in the chemical spectrum, particularly smell. This innovative approach has the potential to transform various industries, enhancing safety, health, and overall well-being.

In a recent blog post, Alex Wiltschko of Osmo discusses the significance of this technology. As AI systems mature, they need to become multimodal, encompassing all human senses to truly understand and interact with the world. Osmo is leading the charge in teaching computers to record, analyze, and reproduce molecular signals, which is crucial for applications ranging from health diagnostics to detecting hazardous substances.

Wiltschko highlights impressive examples of olfactory expertise, such as a nurse who can smell Parkinson's disease or dogs detecting fentanyl at borders. These instances underscore the untapped potential of our olfactory senses. Osmo aims to surpass these natural capabilities by leveraging vast data processing power, having already compiled the largest olfactory dataset in history.

The ultimate goal is a world where every scent, flavor, and chemical signal is readable and reproducible on demand, opening up new possibilities for safety, healthcare, and enhancing everyday experiences.