Always retained to be the flower of flowers or the perfume of perfumes, Ylang-Ylang is the flower of ecstasy and seduction, which adorns women’s hair giving regenerative strength. It is the flower which perfumes the harem.
Its original name in tagalog (one of the principal dialects of the Philippines) could derive from the word ilang, which means wild region, of from ilang-ilan meaning unusual, referring to its very particular perfume. The tree, originating in the Philippines, but common also in the Polynesian islands, can reach a height of more than 20 m: but is kept to a maximum height of 2 m in order to facilitate flower collection.
The ylang-ylang flower, due to its rich and inebriating, sensual and intensely feminine fragrance, is rarely a dominant note, but reinforces the exotic effect of opulent flowers or highlights the liveliness of fresh Mediterranean flowers. The first signs of its presence can be found in fragrances such as
l’Heure bleue by Guerlain (1912) or
N° 5 by Chanel (1921) where it accompanies Rose and Jasmine, or
Magie by Lancôme from 1950. It is present in
Opium by YSL (1977) to emphasize its mysterious power, in
Giorgio Beverly Hills (1981) in a blend with tuberose, in the rich floral middle notes of
Boucheron (1988) and
Samsara by Guerlain (1989).
In more recent times Givenchy has made ylang-ylang one of its prestigious raw materials. This development began in 1991 with Amarige, where the notes of this flower announce the arrival of an embracing base note and of white musk and amber-gris.
In 2007 Dominique Ropion of IFF interpreted in the fragrance (Amarige Ylang-Ylang de Mayotte) the extraordinary quality of the 2006 harvest of ylang-ylang from the French island of Mayotte, whose almost centenarian cultivation tradition is considered among the best in the world. Ferrè by Ferrè (2005) and Maitresse by Agent Provocateur (2006) conclude a rich but not exhaustive list of fragrances, among which we have cited only a few exponents.
A flower which is only apparently delicate, ylang-ylang is also called «poor man’s jasmine» because its odorous petals are actually very resistant and allow up to 3
distillations to be carried out. The product obtained from the first distillation is called Ylang-ylang Extra and is usually used in the perfumery. The successive distillations posses a gradually inferior quality. The third distillation maintains a discrete quality level and is used for soaps and personal hygiene products. The queen of the essential oils, represents about 30% of total exports of the Comore islands.
