Tonkin musk

Signature scent of Empress Joséphine but also a legendary fragrance ingredient for the house Parfum d’Empire, tonkin musk is a raw material that has no ambition of going unnoticed. It is immediately identifiable and is adored by many knowledgeable fragrance consumers.

What is tonkin musk?

Originally, tonkin musk was an animal raw material derived from the secretion of a gland of the musk deer. This species lives notably in Asia, Siberia or the Himalayas. As a result, this mammal was hunted intensively in the 1900s, and especially between 1960 and 1970. It must be said that this was a highly lucrative activity given that it sold for 300 to 400,000 fr. per kilo at the time! Indeed, this animal alone offered multiple highly sought-after benefits. Its leather was used by Tibetans to make bags. Its fur, meanwhile, was used to stuff mattresses and pillows for Chinese emperors. Finally, the tonkin musk secreted by its glands was considered an aphrodisiac that was drunk through a straw. Nevertheless, to protect this species, measures were taken and hunting of this musk deer is now completely banned. Similarly, collecting its tonkin musk with a syringe is very rarely practiced for ethical reasons. Moreover, this technique can result in the death of the animal, so almost all musks used nowadays are synthetic in origin. However, despite the many measures taken, poaching of this species still sometimes occurs.

The creation of tonkin musk by perfumers

Fortunately, thanks to numerous technical advances in the perfume industry, it is now possible to artificially reconstitute the scent of tonkin musk. This scent is extremely powerful, both woody and animalic. In this instance, we owe the complex formula of synthetic tonkin musk to the Firmenich group. Moreover, they continue to create new versions that offer ever greater longevity, uniqueness and sensuality. Multiple ingredients are used by fragrance houses in order to get as close as possible to this inimitable scent. Ambrette, for example, is a flower that gives off a musky scent. Similarly, other raw materials such as castoreum, truffle tincture, indole, paracresyl acetate,… are used to recreate this substance with its almost inimitable sensuality.

Generally speaking, tonkin musk tends to be found in the base notes of fragrances. It is a very powerful ingredient endowed with an almost erotic and highly animalic sensuality. It is present in numerous fragrances, elegantly dressing, for example, Azzaro l’Eau pour les hommes or Dhalia Noir by Givenchy and Classique X L’Eau by Jean-Paul Gaultier for women. Similarly, fragrances such as Voulez-vous Coucher avec Moi by Kilian clearly seem to play on its carnal aspect…