The Atelier is a space for serious perfumers and flavourists who would like access to niche quantities of South Asian botanical extracts that are otherwise extremely difficult to source or are simply not available on the market.

For example, the distillation trade in India is entirely sustained by the tobacco industry. If a botanical cannot be used for flavouring tobacco and betel nut related products, then there is no incentive to distill it in the first place as there is virtually no demand from the domestic and international fine fragrance sector. The fragrance industry mainly relies on synthetic aroma chemicals so that means hydro-distilled extracts of Kadamba and Parijat flowers, that were so ubiquitous at one point, intrinsically linked to the olfactory landscape of South Asia, and commonly distilled up until a decade ago, are all the more harder to come by.

The kewra flower is another great example of a pure essential oil that is extremely expensive to distill. It is also the only botanical that is not bought by weight by the distillers but by the number of male-inflorescences that are grown and harvested in eastern India. The cheap synthetic is the version that is abundantly available as "attar" across South Asia, while natural Kewra water, a by product of the distillation is what is packaged and marketed as food flavouring (along with synthetic or reconstituted versions).

Over four years in this trade, I have built excellent networks with manufacturers and distillers across India. Through field research I undertook as I established my practice, I have actually gone and seen a number of these processing facilities.

Responsible sourcing matters to me, so as much as possible, I have been acquiring my raw materials directly from suppliers with Eco Cert and USDA certification. These are producers who usually do not supply to individuals, rather, they are B2B, they mainly export to giant fragrance, flavour, pharmaceutical and cosmetic conglomerates in the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Early in my research, it came as a shock to me that the luxury brand AVEDA (The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.) sources botanical extracts from a manufacturer just two hours away from where I live. This was an Ah-Ha! moment when I realised that there could be a way to source certain materials of Indian origin from India itself. 

These are materials that I use in my perfumes and Edible Perfumes™. While I work out the minimum quantities and logistics, the following materials listed can be made available on request. Please fill out the contact form below with details of the quantity you require.


Organic CO2 Extracts:
Black Pepper  /  Cardamom  /  Curry Leaf  /  Coriander  /  Clove Bud  
Cinnamon  /  Star Anise  /  Turmeric  /   Nutmeg   /   Sandalwood   /    Vetiver

Coffee  /  Davana   /  Fennel  /  Ginger Lily  /  Juniper  /   Hemidesmus Indicus (Sarsaparilla)  

Champaca  /   Jasmine Grandiflorum  /  Jasmine Sambac  /  Marigold

Lemon  /   Lavender


Absolutes
Pink Lotus   /   White Lotus   /    Tuberose


Ethical Mysore Sandalwood essential oil


Himalayan Extracts (sustainably sourced):
Cedarwood  /   Ambrette seed  /   Costus root  /   Carrot Seed  /   Spikenard   / Valerian   /    Juniper

Rose   /   Lavender