photo by Alex C. Musgrave©

Edinburgh based  Perfumer Euan McCall, my Rising Star of 2019 shares new insights into the Psychoterratica collaborative project for our CaFleureBon readers -Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

When Chloe Mullen and I introduced  Jorum Studio last year we required launching new perfumes into the market without any customers, zero. Inevitably we had to rely on our own vision and instinct for this. However, for the past decade we have worked with and for other perfume brands creating products in-line with their vision. Our self-directed works and more recent methods of creation have required us to challenge ourselves. For the longest time we have worked tirelessly and constantly from one brief and project to the other without much time to sit and work on our own projects, only finding some time here and there (as a result, some of the Progressive Botany Vol. I perfumes have been honed over many years). For us, the process always comes back to curiosity, craft, honing of skill and a restless hunger to learn more about our materials and practices as well as reinforcing our ethos in such a busy and buzzy (and sometimes BS-ridden!) market.

Working as an independent perfumer requires a very open mind creatively and has – in our case – instilled an obsession with raw materials working towards a greater learning of each over the years and an appreciation for all raw materials, even those that possess inherent aromatic challenges, those that can arguably be seen as confusing or unpleasant.

As a brand we are entirely motivated by our relationship with our customers, as without them we cease to exist! Our gratification comes from hearing that others enjoy or have been entertained by the perfumes created by us. For a number of years, well before Jorum Studio, we were thinking about ways to include the end user in the development process of a perfume but doing so on a large enough scale so as to create something genuinely responsive and truly collaborative. Most people don’t get the opportunity to be part of the development of a fragrance, which is an incredibly interesting process. We knew Jorum Studio would be a good platform to try this concept, which is where Psychoterratica comes in.

Many have tried a mass-bespoke model or an approach of mixing pre-made bases. There hasn’t been a great deal of success with these schemes as the process of making a perfume cannot be reduced to such small steps. The Psychoterratica project is not bespoke by any means nor do we wish for the project to evolve in that direction. More so, the project is an experimental and hopefully innovative method to create a collective and collaborative end product where brand and customer work towards the creation of something new. The Psychoterratica fragrances started life as all Jorum Studio fragrances do, with intricate research. * From there we showcased three perfumes, which were entirely market-ready fragrances, to a pool of our customers and asked for their thoughts. From that feedback, we developed on the initial fragrances driven by our customer feedback. These new iterations are what we have presented this Spring, with the intention that these fragrances will be developed with our customers further. We hope that with a concentrated development we can share a little of the lifecycle of a perfume – our development is much the same as any other perfume on the market in terms of the stages and technical requirements.

We wanted to make this project as accessible as possible, keeping pricing palatable for most budgets but this meant keeping the numbers relatively low. So, it is an arguably accessible project financially but exclusive in its reach.

*We developed three perfumes each linked by the same dosage of Tree Moss Absolute so as to demonstrate how a single material can be used to create extremely different end results.

Psychoterratica I

In Psychoterratica I, I used a beautiful extraction of Labdanum in a tiny amount – just enough to have impact but not overpower adding an Ambergris hued halo to the finished perfume. Initially we had this formula as a really complex musky botanical theme with a starched white Ambergris fade. From consulting with those who received this iteration it was evident the direction should move closer to Ambergris, stripping off the botanical notes and really concentrate on bringing this faded Ambergris element to the fore and as purely as possible. Interestingly, many commentators added that they would like to feel more dry-fruity notes and as such we added a simple Lychee trichord up top to support the initial impression.

Pychoterratica II

An aged Tree Moss Absolute was used in Psychoterratica II, adding a peculiar mushroom-y note not found otherwise. We switched out umpteen moss absolutes but felt only the aged one gave this inherent mushroom facet that was desired – it’s a small detail but we felt it was important to include this facet, as passing as it may be, as several customers asked if a mushroom note would work…why not! Psychoterratica II is a ‘super citrus’, intense freshness and a psychedelic greenness to match. We wanted to create a layered citrus profile and with our customer-driven approach I feel we have achieved that with greater effect than we could by ourselves. Some of the development feedback was truly inspired, leading us to create an odd yet pleasant almost recognisable yet distorted and novel fruity sensation that maintains and develops beautifully through wear. Throughout the development of Psychoterratica II, both Chloe and I visited the astonishing Royal Botanic Garden Glasshouses here in Edinburgh 5 or 6 times as the Passionflower were in bloom. If you ever visit the Glasshouses and find the Passionflowers, you will find them blooming alongside Vanilla (exquisite) and during this development the mighty Titum Arum was blooming… need way say any more?!

Psychoterratica III is enhanced immeasurably with over 32% of the finest Vetiver Bourbon from Madagascar – from our Private Reserve. This Vetiver was from a 2009 release, expertly conditioned and aged. We cannot really put a price on the Vetiver used and in our eyes it truly is priceless – a fantastic crop, an aged and enriched material which has developed the most beautiful round profile with exceptional shift and shimmer. From the early developments, customers kept asking for more smoke, richer notes, denser textures and to push the development so it eases out with wear – developing beyond just smoke, roots and peaty drams! With that said Psychoterratica III is smoke from top to tail however, hopefully wearers will be in agreement that the billowing textures reflect the many fast changing and turbulent tones of dense smoke.

We have been overwhelmed by the response to this project and are now down to a handful of bottles and thus places to invite customers to join in the future development. At the time of writing we have around 4 bottles of Psychoterratica III and 10 or less of I & II each.

As soon as we sell through or are close to selling through, we will be in touch with each purchaser of Psychoterratica 2020, extending an invite to join us in the future development for next year’s release.

For more information, please head over to the Jorum Studio website.  Free shipping ends tonight 5/2/2020

– Euan McCall and Chloe Mullen

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