Gardenia smells creamy, heady and slightly mushroomy, with a jasmine-like heart and a faint green lift. It is one of the most sensual white florals and, paradoxically, one of the most difficult to capture.
The flower Gardenia jasminoides yields virtually no usable essential oil. A rare gardenia absolute is produced by solvent extraction in Hawaii, China and Polynesia, but it is expensive and unstable. Most commercial gardenia in perfumery is a carefully constructed accord that blends tuberose, jasmine absolute, orange blossom, cis-3-hexenol (green notes) and specific captive molecules that reproduce the characteristic mushroomy, warm, waxy-creamy heart.
Gardenia is a heart note and a statement one. Perfumers use it as the star of white floral compositions (Chanel Gardenia, Kai, Tom Ford Velvet Gardenia), to round out tuberose and jasmine blends, and to bring creamy tropical warmth to modern orientals. It pairs beautifully with jasmine, tuberose, sandalwood, vanilla and coconut.
Gardenia performs best in warm weather and evening wear.
