Geranium Absolue: Andy Tauer gives geranium more room

Getting geranium right proved difficult for Andy Tauer. His first trials smelled too much like rose, too green or excessively clean, the perfumer says. Geranium Absolue is his answer: a new eau de parfum presented at Pitti this September and already available from Tauer Perfumes.

In a post published on 17 September, after his return to Zurich, Tauer links the release to a search for freshness he had already explored with L’Air du Jardin Caché. He wants to give the ingredients more room and work with a lighter touch, without losing the character of his perfumes.

A clue over dinner

The most revealing account appears in the September issue of his magazine. Tauer had invited a friend to dinner and noticed the perfume he was wearing. It was not one of his own creations. He recognised a combination of green herbs, vanillin and coumarin that helped him solve the geranium problem.

Back in the laboratory, he worked on the balance between the aromatic notes and the warmth of the base. He wanted to preserve both the leafy and floral facets of the material. In his account of the development, vanillin and tonka add hay-like and powdery nuances, with a sweetness he did not want to turn into a dessert.

Bourbon geranium and a tonka base

The formula centres on Bourbon geranium, described on the product page as floral, green and slightly powdery. Tauer says he adds small amounts of French lavender to bring out the aromatic character without making it cooler.

For the base, he chose a cistus extract with woody and ambery facets, alongside oakmoss and other supporting materials. The aim, he explains, is to support the geranium without letting the base take over.

Geranium Absolue is a unisex perfume, handmade in Switzerland, in Tauer’s pentagonal blue bottle. The 50 ml size is listed at 155 Swiss francs on the official website, with shipping and taxes calculated at checkout. It can also be selected as one of the samples in the five-fragrance discovery set.