Today we travel to beautiful South Tyrol with The Nose Behind. The latest fragrance, Fleur Alpine, is not only dedicated to a special plant from the Alpine region, but also pays homage to Herbert Stricker’s childhood. As a child, he was often out and about in the mountains with his father in search of a fragrant flower. It was not the edelweiss sought by many others that was the target of his desire, but rather the cabbage blossom, also known as nigritella.
Nigritella or Brunelle – the orchid of the Alps
Several impressive forms of the Nigritella, a member of the orchid genus, thrive in the alpine altitudes of South Tyrol and impress with their delicate yet striking flowers and unique fragrance. In the mountainous regions of South Tyrol, these delicate orchids are a real highlight for nature lovers and botanists. You can discover several species and subspecies on a mountain hike, all of which have different and characteristic features.
Probably the best-known Nigritella is the red cabbage plant(Nigritella rubra), which is widespread in the higher mountain regions of South Tyrol. With its intense red to purple flowers, it attracts the attention of hikers. The scent of this orchid is pleasant, spicy and sweet, with a slightly exotic note. The black cabbage orchid(Nigritella nigra) is also widespread in the Alps, especially in the higher, calcareous mountain regions. It is known for its deep purple to black flowers, which have an intense, sweet vanilla scent.
Then there is the common cabbage (Nigritella nigra subsp. rhellicani ), a subspecies of the black cabbage orchid, which is widespread in the high mountains of South Tyrol and the southern Alps. This rare orchid thrives in the Dolomites in particular, but also in other Alpine regions. It also develops deep dark red to black flowers that exude an intense fragrance. There is also the Dolomite cabbage orchid(Nigritella dolomitica), a particularly rare species that is only native to the Dolomites.
All these different species of Nigritella spread a beguiling scent on mountain meadows during the summer months and turn hikes in the Alps into a special olfactory experience. Herbert Stricker, who grew up in South Tyrol and spent almost every weekend there with his father, has a special connection to this extraordinary flower, which is also known locally as the Brunelle.
Fleur Alpine – The scent of the alpine orchid
The thought of the special scent of nigritella stayed in Herbert Stricker’s head until he was an adult. He tried in many ways to bring these special nuances back from the mountains, but was unsuccessful. It was only when he came into contact with the Swiss perfumer Andreas Wilhelm that he made progress on his mission to create an olfactory monument to the Nigritella with Fleur Alpine. Andreas Wilhelm was able to pass him on to the fragrance manufacturer Givaudan, where a scientific scout for new raw materials translated the alpine flora into fragrance formulas. Among them was the cabbage blossom.
With this specific fragrance formula, the perfumer was then able to recreate the special notes of the nigritella – that was the plan. However, the formula did not produce the typical scent of the flower, so Wilhelm and Stricker had to make adjustments together. A combination of floral notes, citrus notes, wine blossom, wild strawberry, green notes, chocolate, cedarwood and white flowers was finally a hit.
Fine fruity and wonderfully chocolaty nuances are already evident in the opening of Fleur Alpine, hinting at what is meant by the exotic scent of the real cabbage rose: seductive, gourmand and floral thanks to creamy floral nuances that provide a fine, vanilla-like backdrop. Airy, crystalline powder notes provide a certain lightness and transparency, while the cedar wood adds clean moments. The chocolate is clearly perceptible throughout the fragrance. The eau de parfum slowly fades away with a gentle and airy sweetness.
Fleur Alpine is dedicated to a special blossom and is therefore no ordinary floral fragrance, but an incredibly fascinating, profound and velvety-gourmand creation. Fine chocolate meets a gentle floral creaminess with a vanilla finish and fine fruity freshness. Certainly a special fragrance that you should definitely try. Chocolate fans will absolutely get their money’s worth here. Fans of Herbert Stricker anyway. An airy and transparent gourmand-floral combination that I find extremely exciting.
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