There is a moment every year when something shifts.

The light changes, the days grow shorter, and nature slowly begins to dress itself in its most vibrant colours: orange, red, yellow… shades that announce the arrival of autumn.

It is also a time when our olfactory preferences can begin to change. We gradually move away from the fresh, sparkling notes of summer and find ourselves drawn to warmer, richer and more comforting fragrances.

And if I had to choose one natural ingredient to embody this transition from one season to the next, for me, it would undoubtedly be tonka bean.

What is tonka bean?

Tonka bean is the seed of the Dipteryx odorata, a large tree native to South America, particularly Venezuela and Brazil.

Widely used in perfumery for its vanilla-like, almond and gourmand facets, tonka bean has an unmistakably distinctive scent.

The fruit contains a single seed which, once harvested, is slowly dried. As it dries, its surface may become covered with tiny crystals of coumarin, while its characteristic fragrance fully develops.

And what a fragrance it is!

Tonka bean owes much of its distinctive character to coumarin, a naturally occurring molecule found in the seed. Its scent can be described as a blend of freshly cut hay drying in the sun, with accents of almond, vanilla and caramel, along with a subtle facet reminiscent of tobacco.

An aroma that is at once soft, distinctive and deeply evocative.

From tonka bean to the Fougère family

It is this very coumarin that helped define one of the great families of modern perfumery: the fougère family.

Contrary to what its name might suggest, the fougère family does not seek to recreate the smell of a fern. Instead, it refers to an olfactory accord whose history began in 1882 with Fougère Royale, a fragrance created by perfumer Paul Parquet for the House of Houbigant.

Its composition, built notably around lavender, coumarin and oakmoss, gave rise to a new olfactory family that would go on to become one of the great signatures of perfumery.

Since then, the fougère family has evolved considerably and inspired countless interpretations. Yet tonka bean and its coumarin-rich facets remain deeply connected to its history.

Why is tonka bean so precious in perfumery?

In perfumery, tonka bean is generally used as a base note. It reveals itself gradually and helps extend the fragrance on the skin, while adding depth to the composition.

What I particularly love about this ingredient is its ability to create harmony between different materials. It can soften a dry note, warm up a woody accord or add a gourmand facet without necessarily making a fragrance sweet.

It is both present and discreet.

It does not necessarily seek to command attention. Instead, it settles into the background and brings a sense of coherence to the composition.

Perhaps that is why it makes me think so much of autumn: a wool sweater, golden light at the end of the day, a warm cup between your hands, and the desire to slow down for a while.

Tonka bean at Kanopé: The soul of Tomo

At Kanopé, tonka bean holds a very special place in Tomo.

I created this fragrance for my husband. Tomo is the name of a small Japanese keychain I gave him nearly twenty years ago. Over the years, that little object has become much more than a simple keepsake. It has become a symbol of our travels, our life together and our story.

I wanted the fragrance to carry that same idea: that of an object, a symbol we keep close to us, which, over time, becomes filled with memories.

Tomo is also a reflection of my love for natural raw materials: the warmth of spices, the depth of sandalwood, the beauty of magnolia and the finely gourmand roundness of tonka bean.

And if I am talking about Tomo in this article, it is precisely because tonka bean plays such an important role in the composition. It brings a comforting warmth and a hint of mystery that give the fragrance its depth.

A mysterious and captivating fragrance, with a little gourmand facet that almost makes you want to taste it.

Tonka bean: An invitation to autumn

There is something comforting about the idea that a fragrance can follow the rhythm of the seasons.

As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves change colour, our preferences naturally shift toward woods, spices, sweeter notes and richer, more enveloping compositions.

Tonka bean feels perfectly at home in this transition.

But perhaps this is also what I love about perfumery: a raw material can become so much more than a scent. It can evoke a season, a place, a person or a memory.

To me, tonka bean smells a little like autumn.

And in Tomo, it tells a story that I cherish deeply.

If you would like to discover this composition and experience tonka bean in a natural fragrance, I invite you to explore Tomo.

And if you would like to take your exploration of natural raw materials even further and learn how to create your own fragrance, our natural perfume creation workshop is a beautiful way to experience them for yourself, one scent strip at a time.