Aldehyde

Origin

Synthetic (first synthesised in the late 19th century; also occur naturally in trace amounts in some plants)

The smell

Waxy, sparkling, metallic, soapy, diffusive

Key quality

Abstract. Lifts composition away from its natural reference

Historical use

Used sparingly in late 19th and early 20th century perfumery as a brightening accent in floral compositions; transformed into a dominant structure in Chanel No. 5 (1921)

Appears in