Orris Perfumes & Fragrances

Orris smells cool, powdery and buttery, with a faint carrot-root earthiness and a soft violet lift. It is one of the most luxurious materials in perfumery and one of the most expensive naturals by weight.

The material comes from the rhizomes of Iris pallida (grown mainly in Tuscany) and Iris germanica. Rhizomes are harvested, dried and aged for three to five years, during which the aromatic molecules (irones) slowly develop. The aged rhizomes are then steam-distilled to produce iris butter, a solid waxy material. Processing can take up to seven years from planting to finished oil, which is why orris costs tens of thousands of dollars per kilogram.

Orris is a heart note. Perfumers use it to add powdery elegance to classical florals (Chanel N°19, Guerlain Apres l'Ondee), to bridge florals and woods in unisex niche (Prada Infusion d'Iris), and to give cool grandeur to leather and rose compositions.

Orris performs best in spring, autumn and transitional weather, and gives fragrance a refined aristocratic character.