Ylang ylang smells heady, creamy and slightly fruity, with a banana-custard sweetness and a jasmine-like depth. The name means 'flower of flowers' in Tagalog, and the scent lives up to it.
The tree is Cananga odorata, a tropical evergreen grown mainly on the Comoros archipelago (where it is a major export), Madagascar, Mayotte and the Philippines. Flowers are hand-picked at dawn and immediately steam-distilled. Five successive fractions are collected during distillation: extra, first, second, third and complete. Extra is the most prized and floral, third and complete are cheaper and used in functional perfumery.
Ylang ylang is a heart note and a powerhouse floral. Perfumers use it in classic feminine florals (N°5, Poison, Joy), to round out jasmine and tuberose, and to give creamy sweetness to oriental bases. It pairs naturally with vanilla, sandalwood, bergamot and rose.
Ylang ylang performs best in warm weather, evening wear and humid climates, where its tropical heaviness feels appropriate rather than overwhelming.
