So few people have heard of galbanum that even my spellchecker doesn’t recognize it. It’s been used in incense for millennia, but only in perfumes since World War II. Its aroma is unique and hard to articulate in terms of other aromatic substances. I can’t guarantee any one person will like it—it’s not universally agreeable, but once loved, loved passionately. It is very green, herbal and a bit reminiscent of good gin.

Since the most lovely and memorable aromas are natural things, I present them as they are, untouched by chemical additives. I combine enough galbanum essential oil (which isn’t cheap) with pure drinking alcohol (ethanol) until the galbanum comes through brightly. Tinctures of pure essential oils are magnificent, but I must mention that my eaux fraîches don’t cling to the skin and they don’t last. I mean, at all. They’re splendid room and après bain fresheners and their aroma so irresistible, that you may end up spraying yourself and unable to stop. (My three other eaux fraîches—neroli (orange blossom), vetiver (green and gassy), violet leaf (very green)—are made in the same way.

Given the price of natural essential oils, I probably won’t make these eaux fraîches again, they’d be too expensive. I do have a small stock I am selling here.