“[Captives] are kind of tools to compete. You do get the competitive edge with them,” said Givaudan perfumer Christine Hassan. She described Akigalawood, derived from patchouli using biotechnology, as having a spicy, but clean and fresh woody aroma.

“Akigalawood is such an amazing material. What’s beautiful about it too is you can play it in all realms. It’s a very universal scent. It’s not typically masculine or typically feminine. You can really play with it across the palette,” said Hassan. “It’s one of those ingredients that kind of hits every note. Kind of like ketchup, where it hits every part of your tongue at once.”

— Read more in What’s that smell? It’s Akigalawood at Glossy.