The Perfumer's Guide to Categorizing Flower Varieties by Note Classification

Understanding the Note Pyramid

Before categorizing specific flowers, it's essential to understand what determines a note's classification:

Top Notes (5-15 minutes): Light, volatile molecules that evaporate quickly. They create the first impression of a fragrance.

Middle/Heart Notes (20 minutes - 2 hours): The core of the perfume that emerges as top notes fade. These provide body and character.

Base Notes (2-8+ hours): Heavy, long-lasting molecules that provide depth, fixation, and longevity. They linger on the skin longest.

Key Classification Factors

When categorizing flowers into notes, consider:

1. Molecular Weight: Lighter molecules evaporate faster (top notes), heavier ones slower (base notes)

2. Volatility: How quickly the scent dissipates in air

3. Extraction Method: Affects concentration and behavior (absolute vs. essential oil)

4. Intensity: How powerful the scent is initially versus over time

5. Chemical Composition: Presence of certain compounds (aldehydes, esters, phenols, etc.)

Floral Top Notes

These flowers have bright, fresh, immediately perceptible scents with high volatility:

Citrus Blossoms

• Neroli (Orange Blossom): Fresh, green, slightly bitter-sweet

• Petitgrain (Bitter Orange Leaf/Twig): Green, woody-floral, fresh

• Lemon Blossom: Bright, clean, sparkling

Light Florals

• Freesia: Fresh, peppery-floral, airy

• Lily of the Valley: Green, fresh, aquatic-floral (often recreated synthetically)

• Sweet Pea: Light, fresh, slightly powdery

• Magnolia (some varieties): Fresh, lemony, delicate

Considerations

Top note florals typically have:

• High percentage of esters and aldehydes

• Fresh, green, or citrusy facets

• Immediate impact that fades within 15-30 minutes

• Often used to add brightness and lift to compositions

Floral Middle/Heart Notes

These form the majority of floral materials, providing the recognizable floral character:

Classic Rose Varieties

• Rosa Damascena: Full, sweet, honeyed

• Rosa Centifolia: Rich, jammy, slightly spicy

• Tea Rose: Fresh, clean, green-floral

White Florals

• Jasmine Sambac: Rich, creamy, indolic, slightly fruity

• Jasmine Grandiflorum: More delicate, tea-like, green

• Tuberose (lighter aspects): Creamy, heady, slightly medicinal

• Gardenia: Creamy, tropical, coconut-like

• Tiare Flower: Soft, creamy, slightly green

Garden Florals

• Geranium (Pelargonium): Rose-like, minty, green

• Lavender: Herbaceous, clean, slightly camphoraceous

• Violet Leaf: Green, cucumber-like, earthy

• Carnation: Spicy, clove-like, powdery

• Peony: Fresh, rosy, slightly fruity

• Iris (flower aspects): Powdery, delicate, slightly rooty

Exotic and Tropical

• Ylang-Ylang: Creamy, banana-like, slightly medicinal

• Frangipani: Creamy, tropical, peachy

• Champaca: Floral, tea-like, peachy

• Osmanthus: Apricot-like, peachy, leathery

Spring Florals

• Hyacinth: Green, fresh, slightly watery

• Lilac: Fresh, green, powdery

• Narcissus: Green, honeyed, slightly animalic

• Mimosa (lighter aspects): Powdery, honeyed, violet-like

Considerations

Middle note florals typically:

• Appear 10-30 minutes after application

• Last 2-4 hours on skin

• Contain balanced aromatic compounds

• Provide the main floral character of a perfume

• Bridge top and base notes

Floral Base Notes

These flowers have heavier, more tenacious molecules that provide longevity:

Heavy White Florals

• Tuberose Absolute: Intensely creamy, buttery, slightly rubbery

• Jasmine Absolute (deeper aspects): Animalic, indolic, warm

• Orange Flower Absolute: Deep, honeyed, slightly waxy

Oriental Florals

• Immortelle (Helichrysum): Curry-like, maple syrup, hay

• Boronia: Rich, intense, slightly fruity-woody

• Cassie (Acacia): Honeyed, powdery, slightly animalic

Earthy and Rooty Florals

• Iris Root (Orris): Powdery, woody, butter-like, violet

• Violet Flowers (ionones): Powdery, woody, lipstick-like

• Mimosa Absolute: Deep, honeyed, woody-powdery

Dried and Resinous Florals

• Rose Absolute (deeper aspects): Jammy, honeyed, slightly spicy

• Broom (Genet): Honeyed, hay-like, warm

• Hay Absolute: Sweet, tobacco-like, coumarin-rich

Considerations

Base note florals typically:

• Emerge after 30+ minutes

• Last 6+ hours, sometimes days

• Have lower volatility

• Often come as absolutes or concretes

• Contain heavier molecules (sesquiterpenes, phenols)

• Provide fixation for lighter notes

The Complexity Factor

Many flowers exist across multiple categories depending on:

Extraction Method

Jasmine Example:

• Essential Oil: Lighter, more middle-note character

• Absolute: Deeper, richer, extending into base notes

• CO2 Extract: More complete scent profile, spanning middle to base

Concentration

• Diluted materials behave more like top/middle notes

• Concentrated absolutes act as base notes

Specific Varieties

Lavender Example:

• Lavender 40/42 (standardized): Clear middle note

• Spike Lavender: More camphoraceous, closer to top

• Lavandin: Sharper, more top-note character

• Lavender Absolute: Deeper, more base-note qualities

Practical Blending Guidelines

Building a Floral Composition

Opening (Top Notes - 10-15%)

• Neroli or citrus blossoms for freshness

• Freesia or light magnolia for lift

• Green notes to add sparkle

Heart (Middle Notes - 40-60%)

• Choose 2-4 complementary florals

• Rose and jasmine for classic elegance

• Tuberose and gardenia for tropical richness

• Lavender and geranium for aromatic freshness

Foundation (Base Notes - 25-35%)

• Tuberose absolute for creaminess

• Orris for powdery depth

• Immortelle for warmth

• Rose absolute for richness

Fixatives and Modifiers

While not strictly floral, these help bind floral notes:

• Benzoin, vanilla (sweet fixation)

• Sandalwood, cedarwood (woody support)

• Musks (softening, rounding)

• Ambergris, labdanum (depth, warmth)

Testing and Adjustment

When categorizing a new floral material:

1. Initial Sniff: Note first impression (usually indicates top/middle aspects)

2. Blotter Test: Apply to paper, evaluate at 5 min, 30 min, 2 hours, 6 hours, 24 hours

3. Skin Test: Note how it develops on skin (warmth affects volatility)

4. Isolation: Smell alone before blending to understand true character

5. Blending Trials: Test with known top, middle, and base notes to see where it naturally sits

Common Categorization Mistakes

Mistake 1: Assuming all "fresh" florals are top notes

• Reality: Fresh character doesn't always mean high volatility

Mistake 2: Treating all absolutes as base notes

• Reality: Some absolutes (like jasmine sambac) have strong middle-note presence

Mistake 3: Ignoring natural variations

• Reality: Harvest time, terroir, and processing affect note classification

Mistake 4: Rigidity in classification

• Reality: Most florals span 2-3 note categories with different facets

Regional and Seasonal Variations

The same flower can vary significantly:

• Rose de Mai (Grasse): Richer, more middle-to-base

• Bulgarian Rose: Fresher, more middle note

• Turkish Rose: More top-note brightness

Consider sourcing and seasonal variation when formulating.

Floral note classification is both science and art. While molecular weight and volatility provide guidelines, the perfumer's nose and experience remain the ultimate judge. Most florals are multifaceted, revealing different aspects as they evolve on skin. Understanding these nuances allows you to create balanced, harmonious compositions where each floral plays its proper role in the olfactory narrative.

Remember: Rules are guidelines. Great perfumery often comes from breaking conventions while understanding why they exist