Perfumery iris comes from the root of the plant, not from its flower. Perfumers use the rhizome of two species, Iris pallida and Iris germanica, which is dried for several years before distillation. The result is a rare and costly material, orris butter, with a powdery, earthy and slightly violet-like scent. In English it is usually called orris.
A root, not a flower
Iris is a perennial plant that grows from a rhizome, a thick underground stem that spreads horizontally just below the surface of the soil. Two species supply most of the raw material. Iris pallida, the pale iris with lavender blue flowers, is the iris of Tuscany. Iris germanica, the garden iris, with darker flowers, is grown more widely.
The flower is not extracted in perfumery. Its light scent has nothing in common with that of the root. The fresh rhizome, for its part, smells of almost nothing. Its fragrance develops slowly after harvest, as it dries.
Years of patience
The rhizomes stay in the ground for two to three years before they are lifted. They are washed, peeled, then cut and left to dry in the open air. A long storage period follows, around three years and sometimes more. During that time, compounds in the root slowly oxidize and give rise to the irones, the molecules that carry the scent of iris.
Once aged, the rhizomes are ground into powder and steam distilled. The product is solid at room temperature and cream to pale yellow in color. It is called orris butter, or orris concrete, because of its consistency. It owes this texture to a high proportion of fatty acids, mostly myristic acid, which have no smell. The irones account for only a small share of it.
Removing these fatty acids gives orris absolute. It is liquid, much richer in irones, and more intense.
Tuscany, Morocco, China: origins and prices
Tuscan iris pallida is the historical benchmark. It is grown on the hills around Florence, notably in Chianti, on sloping ground and often by hand. Florence took the iris as its emblem: the red lily on its coat of arms is in fact an iris. Between planting and a material ready for distillation, it takes five to six years.
Iris germanica is also grown in Morocco and China, among other places. Iris pallida is considered the finest.
The slow process, the manual labor and the low yield make iris one of the most expensive materials in perfumery. The butter already sells at a very high price, and orris absolute runs to tens of thousands of euros per kilo. Perfumers therefore use it in small doses.
What iris smells like
Iris smells powdery first and foremost. It is often compared to rice powder, makeup and lipstick. Beneath that powder it keeps a rooty base: earthy, slightly damp, with a carrot facet that surprises the first time. Perfumers readily pair iris with carrot seed oil for that reason. A good orris butter also has a buttery, almost milky side.
Iris lasts well on the skin. It sits in the heart or the base of the pyramid and gives the composition a velvety texture. It pairs with violet, rose, leather and suede, pale woods and musk.
Synthetic iris, violet and ionones
Irones can also be produced synthetically, along with related molecules such as methyl ionones, which reproduce part of the powdery facet. In many perfumes the iris note relies on a blend of these molecules, sometimes with a little butter or absolute. When a pyramid lists an iris accord, the house is clearly signaling a reconstructed iris. When it specifies iris root, orris or orris concrete, it is highlighting the natural material, without saying how much of the formula it represents.
Iris and violet are often confused. Their kinship is chemical. The irones in iris closely resemble the ionones, the molecules that give the violet flower its scent. Ionones were synthesized at the end of the 19th century and made violet available to perfumery, since violet flower absolute is almost impossible to find. Most violet notes today are therefore ionones.
The difference can still be smelled. Ionone violet is sweeter and more floral, with a hint of raspberry. Iris is drier and earthier, with that root and carrot facet. Violet leaf is something else again: a green note close to cucumber, extracted from the leaves rather than the flowers.
Iris perfumes in our catalog
Twenty-six perfumes in our catalog list iris in the pyramid published on their product page, under the name iris, orris, iris root, orris concrete, iris absolute or iris accord. Here is a selection of those currently available.
Iris in the foreground
From ChuJian, Iris in Jiangnan N°P43 is the most direct example. The pyramid fits in three lines: aldehydes and green notes at the top, iris alone in the heart, musk in the base. The product page describes a pure, powdery iris in the mist of Jiangnan, south of the Yangtze. This is the perfume to smell to get to know iris almost on its own. Our introduction to ChuJian tells the story of the house.
Iris root in the opening
Pernoire places iris root at the top of two extraits. In Mansa, it accompanies blackberry and pink pepper, before a heart of oud, rose, amber, blackcurrant and saffron, then a base of patchouli, heliotrope, moss and musk.
Kama opens with iris root, violet, blackberry and birch tar. The heart brings together cotton candy, leather, cypriol and dry amber, over a base of moss, cashmere wool and musk. Our introduction to Pernoire presents the collection.
Orris concrete in a natural perfume
Oborotsuki, by Tada Parfumeur, is presented as a 100% natural perfume. Thai oud, camphor and frankincense open onto a heart of jatamansi, rose otto and vetiver. The base combines Australian sandalwood, patchouli, oakmoss and orris concrete, in other words orris butter. The product page describes it as earthy, which matches the rooty side of iris. The house has discontinued this fragrance and the bottles in stock are the last ones.
Iris and violet
Rose & Thorns, by Tada Parfumeur, is the most cosmetic of the selection. Violet and sugar at the top, then a heart of orris, rose and a lipstick accord, over a base of leather, amber and musk. The product page speaks of a creamy orris. Our introduction to Tada Parfumeur tells the perfumer's story.
From Pernoire, Amoral sets violet and iris in the heart, alongside oud and cypriol. The top is spicy, with cardamom, cinnamon, cumin and smoked prunes. The base combines orange blossom, amber notes, sandalwood and tonka bean. The product page presents it as the darkest of the eight perfumes in the Anima collection.
Iris and leather
Kxxt +, by Aaron Terence Hughes, shows how well iris gets along with leather. Raspberry and saffron at the top, then jasmine, iris and leather in the heart, over a base of cedar, patchouli, Tonkin musk and oud. Our introduction to Aaron Terence Hughes explains the concentration of the house's perfumes.
Iris, ink and carrot
The Print House, by Tada Parfumeur, recreates the smell of a printing works. The top brings together coffee absolute, an ink accord, saffron and carrot seed oil. Iris appears twice: in the heart with a paper accord, a metallic note and frankincense, then in the base with cashmeran, patchouli, musk, leather and oakmoss. The carrot seed in the opening sets up the rooty facet of the iris.
Iris in gourmand perfumes
Radiant Memories, by Tada Parfumeur, evokes a sunset over Mount Fuji. Apricot, dried fruit and orange at the top, then iris, amber and jasmine in the heart, over a base of praline, vanilla and musk. Iris lends a powdery texture to a fruity, gourmand perfume.
Coliva, by Adi ale Van, composed by Giovanni Festa, takes its name from the wheat cake shared at Orthodox memorial services. Iris sits in the heart with baked bread, cypriol oil and cedar. Licorice, olibanum, cocoa and coffee open the composition, and the base brings together labdanum, tonka, butter and vanilla. Here iris joins the floury side of the bread. See also our introduction to Adi ale Van.
Iris with tea and green notes
From ChuJian, Phoenix Meets Mountain N°P27 is dedicated to oolong tea from the Phoenix Mountains in Guangdong. Iris root sits in the heart with oolong tea, jasmine, orange blossom and rose, before a base of sandalwood, vetiver and tobacco. Very few bottles remain.
Zhufu uses iris in two lighter perfumes. Nana opens on bergamot and persimmon, places iris and rose in the heart, and finishes on musk, patchouli and sandalwood. Above The Clouds gathers borneol, lily of the valley, iris, white magnolia and white tea in the heart, after bergamot and green cardamom, over a base of ambrette, Chinese cedar, sandalwood and vetiver. Our article on Zhufu presents the house's other perfumes.
Iris in an amber and a marine perfume
Virtues, by Cæleste, signed by Michael Nordstrand, is a resinous woody amber. Star anise, cinnamon and clove at the top, then jasmine, iris, honey and cocoa absolute in the heart. The base brings together Mysore sandalwood, frankincense, benzoin, vanilla and labdanum. The house is covered in our article on Cæleste.
Vitias, by Pernoire, takes iris toward the sea. Bergamot, lime and two peppers at the top, then angelica root, iris, blond woods and guaiac in the heart, over a base of ambergris, white musk, marine notes and ISO E Super. Angelica, another root, reinforces the earthy side.
You will find more iris compositions in our selection of floral perfumes. Several of these perfumes finish on sandalwood, a material covered in the article What is sandalwood.
Frequently asked questions
What does orris mean?
Orris is the English name for iris root and for the material obtained from it. It appears on pyramids written in English or reproduced as they are. Orris, iris root and orris butter all refer to the same raw material.
What is the difference between iris and violet?
Iris comes from the root of the plant, violet from the flower or leaf of another plant. Their scents are similar because the irones in iris are close to the ionones in violet. Iris is drier and earthier, with a pronounced powdery effect. Violet is sweeter and more floral.
Does an iris perfume contain real iris?
Not always. Orris butter and absolute are very expensive, and many perfumes use synthetic irones or methyl ionones, alone or with a little natural material. The mention iris accord indicates a reconstruction. Iris root, orris or orris concrete highlight the natural material.
Why is iris so expensive?
The rhizome spends two to three years in the ground, then about three years drying before distillation. The work is largely manual and the yield very low.
Does iris last long on the skin?
Yes. Iris sits in the heart or base of the pyramid and lasts several hours. It projects little and stays close to the skin.
Further reading
Iris is one of the materials covered in our Perfume materials guide. For other slow and precious materials, see also our articles What is oud and What is vanilla. To compare a solo iris, a leathery iris and a gourmand iris on your own skin, the perfumes mentioned are available as 2 ml samples, depending on the house, on our samples page.