Shawn Meher of Chatillon Lux composed Madame Chouteau for American Perfumer (photo from shawn)
“So when planning out this fragrance, I first of all knew that I had to pull out all of the stops when it came to selecting materials. I began to seek out some of the finest materials that I’ve always wanted to use. Additionally, I knew that I had to find a great story that found that common ground that Dave and I both had for love of our Midwestern river cities named after King Louis, and how interesting the history of a river city is due to the confluence of different cultures coming together and creating something new.” ~ perfumer Shawn Maher
via consideringadoption.com
It should not surprise you that independent perfumer Shawn Maher of Chatillon Lux and entrepeneur Dave Kern of American Perfumer share common ground. The above exposition clearly reveals their mutual appreciation of a pioneering spirit and unflagging grit which helped mold the United States in its relative infancy. Part of this speaks to the ongoing premise of American Perfumer as it continues to showcase the stunning variety of ability and style of American perfumery. Madame Chouteau for American Perfumer reflects Shawn Maher’s respect/curiosity regarding his native terroir, history and his consequent desire to celebrate them in olfactory form. When Shawn was selected to create a composition (which will soon be released), he decided upon the founder of Saint Louis, Madame Chouteau: a woman of substance who dared blaze her own trail despite the conventions of her day.
Madame Chouteau (Marie-Thérèse Bourgeois by François M. de Guyol de Guiran, Missouri History Museum
“Rivers are the givers of life”, remarks my husband; in his childhood it was the River Thame which straddled Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. People who grew up near rivers, canals – know this to be fact. Oceans are another thing entirely: to move essentials from place to place, rivers were the internal venue for transporting goods and they drew commerce from all around. Cities burgeoned along their banks. Shawn Maher’s river is the Mighty Mississippi, but the Missouri River and Meramec have their roles to play as well.
So where does Madame Chouteau come in?
Marie-Thérèse Bourgeois Chouteau was a New Orleans native who was married off at fifteen to a baker/tavern keeper. He deserted her after the birth of their first child. She was to refer to herself as a widow for the rest of her life, despite a lifelong love affair with Pierre Laclède (with whom she had four children) – the man she traveled with cross country and co-founded the colony of Saint Louis. Why? Simply, the Napoleonic Code: as regards family, the husband exercised supremacy over his wife and issue. Women had fewer rights than a minor. If she claimed to be married all the fruits of her hard labor would fall to her husband, still living in Louisiana (and at times, Paris). After his death she refrained from marrying Laclède because these laws were still valid – and her earnings would become his (as would his accrued substantial debt upon his demise). Madame ran the fur trade, kept bees, owned cattle. The trading post which they founded flourished, as Pierre had wisely forged relationships with both officials and native Americans. The wealth which Marie-Thérèse amassed during her lifetime enabled her daughters to marry well; her sage counsel and business acumen prepared her sons for key roles in Saint Louis’ government and commerce. The “Mother” of St.Louis did well by her family while helping to establish the Gateway to the West.
Still Life with Tea Pot Paul Gaugin
Perfumer Shawn Maher has spared no expense in this olfactory tribute. First and foremost, Madame Chouteau is unspeakably beautiful and composed of exquisite materials. It’s a perfume aficionado’s delight, opening with an effervescent peachy/apricot flesh notes enhanced with ebullient fruity rose facets, the kiss of davana and a material Shawn refers to as one of his signature notes: Pyroprunat (Symrise), a rich plummy, floral aromachemical which embellishes tobacco fragrances. There are other jasmine/tobacco perfumes out there, but none like his: three differing jasmines shimmer as they are further fleshed out with a touch of Kharismal (IFF, think bright, hedione-like), subtle anise, a fulsome orange blossom for voluptuousness, and dashes of carrot seed and jonquil for balance. It’s a mirror: flowers resemble fruits resemble flowers. To call it fruity floral is to damn with faint praise and stereotype something which defies that nomenclature.
King Tobacco by Brian Bailey via louisvillevisualart.org
Rather than clout you with Tobacco With a T, the perfumer has chosen to dial down any harshness by inferring it with liatrix, a softer, blowsier (I mean that fondly) absolute – coumarinic, honeyed with dried fruit nuances. He proceeds to explain his own intricate version of Mousse de Saxe, Mousse de Saint Louis. Shawn’s variant is leathery, mossy and animalic. He’s replaced geranium with softer, more powdery elements, ionones and orris tincture; utilized an earthier vanillin, gentled the leather accord with 6 methyl quinoline, strawberry furanone, beeswax and the merest suggestion of cade. The newer atranol-free oakmoss tends to feel somewhat attenuated, so Shawn reinforced it with elemi. His ensuing combination of woods is extraordinary: both Mysore sandalwood and santalol, with their milky/buttery attributes – acquaint themselves with a Thai oud possessed of a wild and sweet nature which dries down to a lightly phenolic liquorish woodiness. Elegant Cosmone© (Givaudan) recalls the luxurious nitro musks now verboten, while Globanone© (Symrise) contributes a creamy glamour laced with floral/tobacco tones which make the entire woody accord glow.
Madame Chouteau for American Perfumer (courtesy of Shawn and Dave)
If I had to sum up Madame Chouteau in a single word, it would be Seamless. From beginning to drydown, there is a great deal of movement between masterfully interwoven components which blend into a harmonious whole. It’s so rich, complex, satisfying that all one needs to do is sit back and revel in it. If Madame Chouteau possessed bravery, backbone and beauty, then perfumer Shawn Maher has expressed these admirably in his perfume for American Perfumer.
Notes: natural apricot essence, peach aldehyde, damascenone total and damascene beta, davana, Pyroprunat, jonquil, jasmines sambac and grandiflorum, Kharismal, anisyl acetate, anisaldehyde, orange blossom absolute, carrot seed absolute, liatrix absolute, Mousse de Saint Louis (isobutyl quinoline, 6 methyl quinoline, strawberry furanone, beeswax, cade, atranol-free oakmoss, elemi, dihydro ionone beta, orris tincture, Vanilys, ionones), Mysore sandalwood, beta santalol, Thai oud, Globanone, Cosmone
Sample provided by Shawn Maher – thank you! It’s marvelous. My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Senior and Natural Perfumery Editor
Thanks to the generosity of perfumer Shawn Maher and Dave Kern of American Perfumer, we have a 2ml AVANT PREMIERE sample of Madame Chouteau for American Perfumer for one registered reader worldwide. To be eligible, please leave a comment explaining what appeals to you about Ida’s review and where you live. Draw closes 2/10/2020
American Perfumer Limited Editions Desert Bloom, Colorado, Bloodline and Madam Chouteau photo via David Kern of American Perfumer
Editor’s Note: Madame Chouteau for American Perfumer is the 4th limited edition (25 bottles) will be on sale February 15, 2020 www.american-perfumer.com . Colorado by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz was the winner of an Art and Olfaction Award 2019
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Due to the nature of the exclusivity of Madame Chouteau for American Perfumer there is no spilled perfume.