Desert Sagebrush
Note Profile
About
Desert sagebrush is the American Great Basin shrub Artemisia tridentata, not culinary sage. It smells camphoraceous first and bitter under that, bone-dry, with a woody rasp and a cool mint tint. Perfumery uses it for place rather than for prettiness. It is the smell writers reach for when they want the open sagebrush flats of the American West.
Also Known As
Sagebrush
Scent Profile
Desert sagebrush smells sharply herbal, a dry, bitter Artemisia note rather than culinary sage. A camphor-like coolness runs through it, with a mint tint on top. Underneath is a bone-dry, woody rasp and a sharp, dusty earthy edge. The silver-green leaf stays dry rather than fresh-crushed. A bitter, resinous warmth sits at the base.
ScentWheel
Read off the wheel, not a label applied to the note.
ScentArt
Origin
Artemisia tridentata, big sagebrush, the silver-green shrub that covers large parts of the Great Basin and the intermountain West. The odour comes from the leaf and twig, taken by steam distillation. Premiere Peau names alpha-thujone for the sharp bite and 1,8-cineole for the fresh camphor lift. It shares a common name with culinary sage but not a genus: Salvia officinalis is a different plant in a different family branch.
Usage in Perfumery
A small-house and artisan material rather than a mainstream one. It builds American Southwest accords next to juniper, pinon pine and creosote bush, where its job is to be dry and bitter rather than sweet. It also works as a counterpoint that cuts a sweet or floral heart. It takes over a top note fast, so it is used sparingly.
Similar Notes
Perfumes featuring Desert Sagebrush
A selection of reviewed perfumes where Desert Sagebrush appears prominently.
No perfumes featuring this note have been reviewed yet. Check back soon.