The Moon Landing Moment for Fragrances

Hello, Fragrant Friend 👋,

Did you know? In 2019, Dejan Levačić from Croatia created the world’s largest perfume bottle, holding an incredible 616 litres.

🗓️ Contents of this Issue

1. Note Worthy (Osmo.AI Special): The moon landing moment for fragrances
2. Scent Pick: Tabadin by JAN BARBA
3. Scent MythBusters: Smell is our most powerful memory sense
4. Quiz: 70s and 80s scent classic
5. Scent Spotlight: Cocoa Notes

Note-Worthy — Osmo.AI Special 🚀🌕️

#DIYFORMULA: Osmo Inspire lets users design custom fragrances using words, images and stories — a “ChatGPT for perfume” that maps a description to Osmo’s Principal Odor Map, with sample requests, regulatory checks and pricing at a glance.

#TELEPORTATION: Osmo’s Scent Teleportation achieved its first lab success, transmitting the scent of coconut across a room by digitising and recreating scent molecules — bringing us closer to sharing scents as easily as photos.

#NEWSCENTMOLECULES: Osmo introduced three AI-discovered molecules — Glossine (bright floral), Fractaline (floral-to-citrus) and Quasarine (jasmine-like intensity).

Scent Pick: Tabadin by JAN BARBA 🧭

This month we feature Bart Puzio, the creative force behind JAN BARBA — our first-ever interviewee — for his latest release, Tabadin. Inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s Wind, Sand and Stars, it opens with lavender and clary sage, a heart of Cashmeran (tobacco-like) balanced with rose and carnation, and a base of leathery patchouli, labdanum and Opoponax. JAN BARBA recently gained a major accolade from critic Luca Turin. “It’s about embodying adventure — dry, powdery, and filled with stories from the sands,” Bart shared.

Scent MythBusters 🎭️

“Smell is our most powerful memory sense.”
Myth of the week

TL;DR

While scents trigger powerful emotional responses, scientific research shows olfactory memory is not inherently superior to visual or auditory memory in accuracy or longevity. The perception of stronger scent-related memories stems from emotional impact, not enhanced memory performance.

The neuroscience

The olfactory system links directly to the limbic system (amygdala and hippocampus), which explains the strong emotional response. But studies show people often struggle to recall or identify scents without visual cues. Visual and auditory memories tend to be more precise and longer-lasting; scents evoke feelings more than factual details.

Why the myth persists

Intense emotional reactions make scent memories stand out, and literature, media and marketing reinforce the belief. For perfumery, this means focusing on emotional resonance rather than claiming to unlock forgotten memories.

Scent Spotlight: Cocoa Notes 🍫

Cocoa notes capture the rich, warm aroma of cocoa beans (Theobroma cacao), native to Central and South America and revered by the Mayans and Aztecs. Perfumers often use accords to evoke cocoa rather than relying solely on absolutes. Types include cocoa absolute, CO₂ extract, roasted cocoa, cocoa butter, blossom, powder and leaf, plus regional varieties (Venezuelan, Ghanaian, Ecuadorian). It blends well with vanilla, amber, tonka, sandalwood, patchouli, jasmine and spices.