Creating stories through scents in some of the world’s most exclusive establishments.

Ms Helena Bonham Carter calls her an “alchemist”. Mr Johnny Depp talks about her “sorcery”. And Mr Douglas Booth labels her a “genius”. Such is the impact of Ms Azzi Glasser’s complex bespoke fragrances. As well as creating perfumes for the rich and famous (from the Qatari Royal Family to half of Hollywood), Ms Glasser has a different occupation: designing scents for hotels and members’ clubs all over the world. From Annabel’s to Chiltern Firehouse to The Mandrake, Quo Vadis and The Principal London – her scents are much prized. It’s no easy task, and can go “horribly wrong” according to Glasser. “I’ve been into some hotels and it looks amazing, but you think, ‘Oh my god, you’ve just ruined it because it smells so cheap and chemical.’ The smell that I create is really challenging and important for spaces, because it has to tell a story – in the same way that they’ve chosen the architecture or the interiors. It’s got to marry up well with everything else that’s sensory in it.”

So, do you have a super nose? Can you learn the skill?

“I didn’t know I had a super nose, but I got it tested and got amazing results. My primary sense is the sense of smell, so I hear things and look at things secondarily. It’s normal now, but at the beginning, I’d go to parties and it’d be like walking into a room full of molecules. I would smell so-and-so wearing J’adore [Dior] or Allure [Chanel] and these messages would be coming into my head. I smell people before I see them. For most people it’s a subconscious sense, but for me it’s very conscious.”

What was the first hotel you worked on?

“The first one actually was Chiltern Firehouse with André Balazs. I met with Studio KO who did the interiors and the architecture. The way that I work is that I have to get in the head of the creator or founder, so I also met with André to find out what he wanted to do in London, because he’s got the Chateau in LA, The Mercer in New York and this was the first time he was going to enter into the London market, which is not easy because he was up against the big established clubs like The Groucho Club and Annabel’s. The one thing that he didn’t have, which he wanted to establish by way of the scent, was heritage. So, I based it on this story of the 1930s, of a travelling salesman, but very dapper and cool, because in those days, they were a catch. So, it’s almost this guy that would come into the hotel and you’d smell his presence and he’d leave this amazing trail behind wherever he went. André absolutely loves it. He says, “I couldn’t have it any other way than it was.” It’s very decadent and has lots of rich, expensive ingredients in there. It’s got notes of frankincense, myrrh. It’s got wood notes as well and then it’s also got a few hints of spice.”

What is the process of creating a scent after you have come up with the story?

“I’ve just created a scent for the new Annabel’s. When I was going around with a hard hat on, you could smell the old smell. You can’t touch some of the walls because it’s a listed building, which I like because I like sniffing old walls, because they have their own porosity, so it’s taken in odours over the years. These are what I call back notes. When Piers Adams bought The Craigellachie hotel in Scotland right in the middle of the whisky valleys, where the earth is red because it’s all peat, everything that surrounded the hotel had that odour. When I’m creating a fragrance, I take into consideration all the scents that are around, so the fragrance works well with the surroundings.”

Which country smells the best?

“Corsica is sublime because it has the purest air, mountains, the sea, the most amazing herbs and flowers and trees. And it’s quite untouched. It’s not built-up or polluted. You’re surrounded by fig trees, clary sage, lemon balm, thyme, all sorts of things growing there. It’s much better than the French mainland or anywhere else in Europe.”

**Are there any scents that you can’t tolerate, or that you think are overdone? **

“I don’t have any problem with particular ingredients. I look at ingredients in terms of how they work with other ingredients. If they’re very strong, I’ll just put less in and make it do its job without overtaking other ingredients. One thing that’s used overpoweringly in perfumes is oud. Oud has been used for thousands of years and it’s a wonderful ingredient, but you have to use it in small doses, otherwise it smells like you’re masking something.”

Where does the idea of creating bespoke scents come from?

“It was part of everyday life really, dating back to the ancient Egyptian days. In the tombs of the princes and queens, they would cover the bodies with essential oils and flowers and plants. When my father died four years ago, we covered his body before it was cremated with saffron and sandalwood, flowers and beautiful scented ingredients. It’s all about purifying the soul. The belief is that when you cremate the body, the soul comes out. You’re purifying and scenting your body to make it more pleasing. That’s very important.”

Do people notice an Azzi Glasser smell when they go somewhere?

“I get so many texts from people saying, ‘I’m smelling you right now. I’m surrounded by Azzi!’ In 50 years’ time, I wonder what those smells will do. It’s nice to have a legacy. For me, doing my job, the best bit about it is bringing joy to others, and that’s the only thing you can take away with you when you die.”

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