WienerBlut: Viennese Spirit

by: Serguey Borisov

History is a great source of inspiration for perfumers and perfume entrepreneurs.
Austrian perfume house WienerBlut ("Viennese Blood" or "Viennese Spirit") was created by Alexander Lauber five years ago. WienerBlut perfumes were created with perfume recipes that were popular in the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. However, they are not historical perfume copies—neither the bottles nor formulas can be called historic. WienerBlut is the first Austrian perfume house in many years. It's an attempt to recreate the pride of Vienna's citizens for their capital, for the history and comfort of life, for the architecture and parks, for ethnic diversity and multiculturalism. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, as much as any other Empire, was a major consumer of luxury. Vienna was one of the most important world capitals prior to the First World War.

Previous Austrian perfumery achievements were associated with the legendary Austrian Knize perfumes, with known-to-a-small-circle-of-wet-shaving-fans Alt-Innsbruck cologne, and several rather interesting niche attempts of the 21st century (Nanadebary, CnR Create, Liaison de Parfum).

The first WienerBlut fragrance was released in 2008, and titled Klubwasser—as modern raves, nightclubs and bars replaced the Viennese Waltz and the balls of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The collection was extended in 2012, with Volkamaria, Indisch Leder, Florentiner and Panasch perfumes, launched with the slogan, "Party like it's 1899." Somehow German J.F. Schwarzlose and Austrian WienerBlut sound very similar in their fondness of club life.

WienerBlut Panasch (like its fellow namesake perfume L'Air de Panache from the movie The Grand Budapest Hotel) is named for the beautiful and ambiguous word that came from the French language. It can mean plume, swagger, splendor and confident style or manners, panache, courage, and showing-off. Henry King of Navarre, womanizer and military leader, before the battle of Ivry (1590) put conspicuous white feathers on his helmet and turned to his troops: “If you lose your flags, follow my white plume! You will always find him on the road to honour and victory!” So the heir to the French throne was defeated in a battle with the superior forces of the Catholics, and later he converted to Catholicism, became king of France—the good King Henry—and exchanged his poor Queen Margo for the young Maria de Medici and 600,000 golden écu from the wealthiest European family.

Henry IV of Navarra, king of France

Panasch fragrance is almost white. It is quite light and transparent by the color it evokes in my mind—this woody fougère fragrance built on Iso E Super (or its variants), cucumber greens of violet leaves and gray pepper cannot be called anything other than His Transparent Majesty. But give it fifteen minutes and it will be some warm milky-woody fragrance of typical niche flair, in which you can find hints of cedar shavings, warm patchouli, cozy coumarin and light tobacco, moss and old whitish chocolate.

WienerBlut Panasch

Head notes: Pink pepper, Black pepper, Cedar leaves, Elemi, Violet leaves

Heart notes: Wormwood, Armoise, Fir balsam, Atlas Cedarwood 

Base notes: Tonka beans, Vetiver, Tobacco, Patchouli

Indisch Leder ("Indian Leather") is surprising in that it does not resemble any previously known leather. It has neither the savage birchtar of Russian leather, nor the spicy frenzy of Peau d'Espagne; neither the citrus-tar contrast of Kolnisch Juchten nor the balsamic ease of suede. The fragrance was inspired by Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s Grand Tour of Ceylon and British India in the 1890s, with the hunting of tigers and other exotic entertainments, so logic hints that Indisch Leder should be based upon some typical Indian notes, i.e., massive doses of patchouli, jasmine, cinnamon, cardamom, black tea. But instead the fragrance smells like the trophies brought from India by the heroic grandfather who explored the country many years ago, all of them filling a special Colonial Trophies room. 


It smells like we are sitting in a cabinet of aged oak and thumbing through an old photo album. This album is a popular thing to look through with a glass of the ancient rum beside—sometimes spilled, judging by the smell and numerous rum stains on the album. It smells dry and slightly musty, like an old brandy barrel and leather-covered flask—a very cautious and smooth perfume. And suddenly, between the pages, we found the main source of the smell—a dried stalk of Davana flower. Judging by Indisch Leder, the most important virtues of the Austro-Hungarian Empire perfumes were modesty, discretion, nicety and shyness.

WienerBlut Indisch Leder

Head notes: Saffron, Prune, Cognac, Sicilian Bergamot, Davana 

Heart notes: Patchouli, Peru Balsam, Lavender, Oakwood 

Base notes: Cistus Labdanum, Oakmoss, Amber, Musk

At the time, the Austrian Hapsburg family got the title of Grand Duke of Tuscany—and while Italy is a Republic, there's a regent standing in line for the Tuscan throne. 
Florentiner is a great Italian cologne with a subtle Austrian accent; the difference can be smelt as a special splendor, sweet powder, and court-like noble manners. Compared with the other Wienerblut perfumes reviewed, Florentiner is much more luxurious and lush, seductive and elegant. It smells like an operetta hero-lover (imagine, for example, the Count Zedlau from the Wiener Blut operetta, based on the music of Johann Strauss). The sweet powdery citrus heart and subtle oriental sillage hints that Florentiner is the love story of the Countess of Neroli and Prince Benzoin de Siam. This old-fashioned and soft citrus-powder fragrance could have been worn by the legendary Giacomo Casanova, as a Weapon of Seduction. And it's actually the most perfect fragrance that depicts the Belle Epoque of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

WienerBlut Florentiner

Head notes: Pimenta Leaves, Bergamot, Bitter Orange, Ginger, Mandarine
Heart notes: Green Tea, Lavender Abrialis, Rosemary, Petitgrain, Ylang, Cedar

Base notes: Labdanum, Vetiver, Patchouli, Benzoin