Pine

Fille en Aiguilles by Serge Lutens is an iconic fragrance intended to be both fresh and comforting. Moreover, it plays on words, evoking a woman in stiletto heels (aiguilles) sitting by a fire itself burning pine needles (aiguilles de pin). Indeed, this is a tree highly prized for its scent and used in numerous fragrances. So, a closer look at this conifer with a freshly resinous scent.

Pine in its natural state

Pine is a tree belonging to the genus pinus and the pinaceae family. Today, at least 111 species are known. These are resinous trees with needle-like leaves grouped in clusters of two to five. It is one of the most important conifers. In general, these are large trees. Moreover, it is a tree with exemplary longevity, with a dozen species able to reach 1000 years while two of them can live up to 5000 years. Like most plants, pines are photoautotrophic organisms, meaning they use sunlight and carbon dioxide to survive. Moreover, it is a tree that copes very poorly with lack of light. For example, it needs two to three times more light than a typical fir tree. Thus, pines are intolerant of shade. On the other hand, they withstand drought very well and can survive perfectly well on poor soils.

Legends surrounding pine

The origins of pine and the fascination this imposing tree inspires date back a long way. Furthermore, Greek mythology tells that the nymph Pythis, pursued by Pan, escaped him by transforming into a black pine. Likewise, while laurel wreaths crowned the winners of the Olympic Games, the Isthmian Games of Corinth, for their part, awarded a crown of pine. Then, in the Middle Ages, pine proved to be a tree associated with knowledge and immortality. This indeed appears in numerous romances of chivalry. Finally, note that pine seems to be a genuine source of inspiration for poets. It thus appears in a poem by Pierre Ronsard or in the famous “Pin des Landes” by Théophile Gautier.

Pine and its resinous, woody scent

Generally speaking, pine evokes for many the smell of vacations. The main species used in perfumery are Tyrol pine, Siberian pine, maritime pine, and Scots pine. To achieve this, perfumers steam-distill its branches or needles. This allows them to obtain a particularly fragrant essence. Nevertheless, it more rarely happens that pine's scent is extracted using volatile solvents. In reality, this production technique is instead used to obtain concretes or absolutes.

Generally speaking, pine is more often associated with a masculine scent. As such, it is present in the fragrances Moustache by Rochas, Saharienne by Yves Saint-Laurent, or Brit For Men Winter 2010 by Burberry. Likewise, a few unisex fragrances contain it, such as Nuit Etoilée by Annick Goutal.