Nostalgia is a form of time travel for the emotions, and scent can be the most powerful way to trigger it. For Laboratory Perfumes, a whiff of pipe tobacco can be enough to unleash a fond flood of childhood memories into the hippocampus. So, when it came to determining the base for their fifth fragrance, they chose something very personal – that earthily aromatic tobacco note. With the help of a knowledgeable but somewhat bemused tobacconist, they went through dozens of different blends and cures in search of the right scent to build upon. The one they settled on had a whisper of the exotic, reminiscent of Morocco, so back in the lab they introduced supportive layers of rum, vanilla and hay that intensified its North African character. Spiced with cinnamon, ginger and black pepper, and complemented with the warming, woody aromas of fine Cognac, the result is a complex and confident fragrance that unveils intriguing new layers and facets as the day goes on. Founded in 2011, British scent specialists Laboratory Perfumes craft unique, gender-free fragrances, scientifically formulated to react to the wearer and evolve over the day. Inspired by the natural flowers, herbs and aromatic botanicals of Britain and beyond, the range of scents and candles is made from natural oils, selected with care and blended with precision. It’s a new method of making perfume the old-fashioned way.