Light the Way

Growing up in the 1970’s the height of chic was certainly a silk scarf wrapped around a neck or matching shoes and handbags for a lady and for any gentleman a cigarette lite with a Dunhill lighter.  Smoking was at this point was not really seen as harmful in the same way it is today and was still considered an elegant thing to do. The perfect lighter set off any gentleman’s outfit. Light the Way gives an insight into how this history became the journey for a set of fragrances. Illustration Keny Kakadia.

The company Alfred Dunhill, was initially known for its lighters as they were the makers of the original Unique lighter, launched in the early 1920s with the slogan ‘The lighter that changed public opinion’

From this iconic lighter, the brand spread out to all things about motor cars, a motoring accessories business if you like.   ‘Everything for the car but the motor’.

As cigarette smoking took off in the 1920s and ’30s, Dunhill became one of the most famous names in the field, opening shops in Paris, New York and Toronto and expanding into menswear, toiletries, and other areas, but it is with smoking accessories that the firm was initially most notably associated.

Very much signature to the brand,  lighters with etched engine-turned texture were synonymous with the heritage and has carried forward. Very much seen as the house’s engineering heritage it has been seen on many a design within the brand.

Included in this is the fragrance collection, notably called The Signature Collection a fragrance group obsessive about quality and range of materials, ingredients, and where each originates. Launched in 2019 as a series of four distinctive fragrances, the Signature Collection is inspired by the international and adventurous nature of Dunhill.

Now there is the addition of two new distinctive fragrances to the collection.

Firstly comes Amalfi Citrus of course inspired by The Amalfi coast in Italy a famous stretch of coastline, and a popular tourist destination.  In 1997, the Amalfi Coast was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Known for its production of the limoncello liqueur as the area is a known cultivator of lemons, known as sfusato amalfitano, they are grown in terraced gardens along the entire coast between February and October.

So of course this scent is a celebration of the area opening with an Italian citrus blend. This includes lemon essence, bitter orange, and vert de mandarin.  This gives a bright lively fresh energetic opening.    

The warmth of the coastline sunshine meets in the middle of the scent with heart notes of spicy cardamom and musks also find multiple facets of herby Rosemary, refreshing  Green Tea, and  sweet, honeyed metallic with green and spicy facets of Neroli

To leave the lasting scent dry, earthy, woody, leathery and smoky so think of uncut grass on a warm day and find the perfume note of vetiver alongside woods ambers and musks grounding and softening the whole collection of elements.

Top: Lemon Essence, Orange Bitter, Vert de Mandarin, Mid: Rosemary, Cardamom, Green Tea, Neroli, Vetiver Coeur, Ambery Woods Accord, Musks

The other new scent to the collection is Valensole Lavender. Not too far to travel from Italy as we step towards south eat France to Valensole.  The plateau of Valensole is famous for its lavender. The region is the biggest area in France devoted to growing lavender and the blue, violet, and purple-coloured fields stretch as far as the eye can see. The blooming period from mid-June to mid-July is an explosion of colours and the inebriating scent fills the exceptionally pure air of the region.

The opening brings sunshine zesty lemons meet with warm exotic saffron and soft,  soft heat of nutmeg. Think an opening of sunny climbs moving into a heart of lavender calming aromatic herby note that are woody sweet smoky floral.  Alongside to heighten find light spice of cardamom and sage. Settling in precious guaiac wood and amber with divine dry grassy vetiver.

A warming soft spicy take on a classic lavender taking it into a new route. Top: Lemon, Saffron, Nutmeg, Mid: Lavender, Sage, Cardamom, Base: Vetiver, Amber, Woods

At a time when travelling is off the books a perfume of standing will take you places no airplane can.

Find out more about Dunhill fragrances Here and if you enjoyed Light the Way then why not try Easy Listening Here