- Origin
- an accord composed by the perfumer
- Raw materials
- marine, mineral and medicinal notes
- Extraction
- synthesis
- Olfactory group
- marine, mineral
- Position in the pyramid
- heart
- Synthetic substitutes
- seaweed (absolute), phenolic and mineral molecules
Iodine in perfumery is not the pharmacy tincture but the iodine-like smell of the seashore: seaweed on the beach, salty wind and wet stones at low tide. It is this smell we often call “the smell of the sea”.
How it smells: sharp, mineral and salty: seaweed, sea salt, a faintly medicinal and smoky shade. The iodine note sounds rugged, natural and very northern.
In fact pure iodine hardly smells the way we expect: the iodine-like smell of the sea comes from seaweed and the substances it releases. The perfumer conveys it with mineral, marine and light phenolic notes.
What it pairs with: with seaweed and marine notes — a rugged coast, with peat smoke and whisky — an “island” whisky, with vetiver — an earthy coastal base, with ambergris — “skin after the sea”, with citrus — a lively marine opening.
Good to know: the iodine-like tang of the famous Scottish island whiskies is put down to the nearby sea: salt wind and seaweed influence the peat used to dry the malt.
