Violet Leaf Perfumes & Fragrances

Violet leaf smells green, watery and slightly cucumber-like, with a dewy freshness and a quiet metallic lift. It is entirely different from the powdery sweetness of the violet flower.

The material is the solvent-extracted absolute of the leaves (not the flowers) of Viola odorata, produced mainly in Egypt and France. It is a viscous dark-green liquid dominated by 2,6-nonadienol, the molecule responsible for the characteristic cucumber-melon facet. Violet leaf yields very little material per kilogram of leaves, making it one of the more expensive green naturals in perfumery.

Violet leaf is a top note. Perfumers use it as the defining green lift of masculine colognes (Dior Fahrenheit, Lalique Encre Noire, Geoffrey Beene Grey Flannel), to add watery freshness to florals, and to electrify modern aromatic compositions. It pairs beautifully with iris, violet flower, cucumber, basil and galbanum.

Violet leaf performs best in spring, summer and daytime wear, and suits crisp sophisticated masculine and unisex signatures.