The Floris Five: fragrance edition

Established in 1730, does the oldest British perfume house still have things to say?

Walking down toward number 89, you can’t help but relish in the charm of Jermyn Street. There is something unique about its spirit, having an air of tradition and a sense of swish, lined with old world shopfronts, smartly dressed windows, smartly dressed people, all peppered with the unconventional— how very British.

I went to Floris with a list of fragrances (and another of questions, as I was there to conduct an interview for work) that I thought I would most like, and left Floris with an entirely different list (and another of answers) of those I most enjoyed. It reminded me that you can do the research, know the notes, immerse yourself in the narrative and read all the reviews, but still find yourself experiencing something completely different in practice. Floris was full of such surprises.

It was established by Juan Famenias Floris in 1730 as a shop selling combs (an early Royal Warrant was as ‘Smooth Pointed Comb Maker’ to King George IV in 1820), wig powders, lotions, bathing products and perfumes. It occupied the ground level of 89 Jermyn Street, where the upper floors were home to the Floris family, and the basement levels, known as the ‘mine’, where ingredients were stored and products created. It was the beating heart of Floris, and you can feel it when you go there today.

As a fragrance and a history geek, you can imagine the thrills as I was shown around the store, museum and archives. Everything is displayed in Spanish mahogany cabinets, purchased during the Great Exhibition of 1851, held at Hyde Park down the road. They line the walls from front to back, floor to ceiling, but the broad space and open layout, glass panelling and curving edges make it feel warm and welcoming. It is all very polished, but invites you to come in and experience. At the back of the store, the museum begins, and back further still (behind closed doors, so by appointment only) you enter a whole other world filled with antique books of customer records, receipts and recipes, archive ingredients, photographs and trinkets, and a very large desk where the perfumer sits to work.

It was here that I learned about Floris as it is today, a combination of heritage, history, knowledge and passion, and was introduced to some of their fragrances both on and off my list. To answer the question in my subheading: yes, Floris still has plenty to say. Here are the five that captured my attention most.

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Platinum 22 EDP, £200 for 100ml
Described to me as ‘a renewed iris’, it really blew me away. It was created to honour Queen Elizabeth II and her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, and ‘platinum’ is a brilliant way to define the iris. It opens with a punchy but refined cool orris with something flaxen about it— oats. You don’t smell it and think ‘oats’, but you know something is in there rounding it out, and they work wonderfully. There is also a real fruitiness from the blackcurrant. It develops beautifully, unfolding to reveal soft rose and violet with a tiny bit of spice (black tea and black pepper), making it romantic without being frothy. It stays that way as it dries down, settling among musk and sweet notes of tonka bean. A bottle now resides on my dressing table.

Bouquet de la Reine EDT, £110 for 100ml
The second fragrance I did not expect to love so much, but did. A beautiful, juicy floral, colourful but elegant, and something that feels modern despite it first being created by Mr Floris as a wedding gift for Queen Victoria in 1840, and updated slightly in 2002. It bursts with peach then blooms with bright florals— rose, jasmine, tuberose and ylang-ylang. The latter is creamy and bright, reminding you of a lotion you might use during the summer months. The vanilla and sandalwood in the base could have propelled it into this holiday-like territory, but an addition of oakmoss keeps it feeling like a real bouquet. Excellent.

Jermyn Street EDP, £180 for 100ml
The first fragrance I reached for when I entered. I expected it to be green and grassy, crisp and reminiscent of a G&T. Vetiver, coriander, juniper and armoise (mugwort) all pointed in that direction, but it gave much more. Yes, it has classic green and citrussy character (mandarin, bergamot and green vetiver at the top), but there is a warmth to it, like a spring sun breaking on plants and shrubs in the nearby park, their scent emanating as you walk by in the morning. The only flower mentioned is violet in the top notes, but I found it retains this slightly floral note, softening it. It is fresh and herbaceous, very classic in terms of character, but contemporary in its feel. An easy pleaser for gents.

Wilde EDP, £180 for 100ml
Colourful, peppery, lively and bright. If you like carnations, you will go Wilde for this. Created as an affirmation of Oscar Wilde’s love for Lord Alfred Douglas, I got light green citrus and white petals first, then a rush of strong carnation (I wrote ‘green and pink’ in my notes— the bloom and the stems) and tingly ginger, so spicy when together. Jasmine settles in and the base notes add warmth, but it is the carnation that really sings. Unique and rather dandy.

Golden Amber EDP, £180 for 100ml
The idea for Golden Amber emerged while one of the perfumers was holidaying on Lake Garda and thought it time to capture the Mediterranean golden hour in a Floris bottle. He searched the archives and found images of Churchill painting the lake during the 1940s, likely wearing his Floris Special No.127 while doing so, and this became the reference point. As expected when ‘Mediterranean’ is involved, fizzy bergamot sparkles at the top, joined by figs and cassis— light, fruity, picked leaves and slightly bitter. Radiance comes from swirls of amber and neroli with sweet white flowers. Far from the sticky, resinous amber you might expect, it is quiet and subdued, drying down to a sunshine whisper. A good one when you need a golden touch.

Do you have a Floris favourite? I would love to know.

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You can read my review of their newest fragrance, Purple Memoire, in my Chelsea Flower Show fragrance edition.

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Amie Elizabeth

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