HAY

Hay in perfume combines a sweet, herbal character with the warmth associated with cut and dried grasses. Its sweetness is often described as coumarin-like: a rounded hay scent that has a family resemblance to part of tonka bean’s aroma. This is a softer meadow impression than the sharp freshness suggested by crushed green leaves. A particular extract may also have richer undertones; Eden Botanicals describes a jammy aspect in its hay absolute.

Natural hay absolute is a real perfumery material, obtained by solvent extraction. The French phrase foin coupé means cut hay, not the name of a botanical species. A perfume’s hay note may also be interpreted within an accord, so the label does not identify one grass or prove that an absolute was used. Its herbal sweetness can sit among green, floral or tobacco-like notes, with the surrounding composition determining how dry or full it feels.