The Essence Gatherer

In the global fragrance industry—which now bypasses Grasse and Paris—this American, who lives not far from Atlanta in a 200-year-old log cabin, is regarded as the “Swiss Army knife” of perfumery. But for J.K. DeLapp, this diversity of skills is perfectly in line with one of perfume’s original purposes: medicine.

Hence the name of his company, founded in 2011, Rising Phoenix Perfumery—inspired by the mythological bird that rises from its ashes in a nest of frankincense, cinnamon, and myrrh.

It was through his close interaction with hundreds of plants during his training in Chinese pharmacopoeia that J.K. DeLapp came to understand the connections between botanical remedies and fragrances. Captivated by the idea of being more than just a doctor, he first turned to creating incense, then to essences extracted from woods and resins, which he blended together. “Unsatisfied with the quality of what was available to me, I set out to find artisan distillers. Most of them were struggling financially.

So I took them under my wing, buying them equipment and placing orders with them. Today, I have several distilleries in Southeast Asia.” The result: a selection of 75 oud oils from all over the world, making Rising Phoenix the largest online retailer of this precious oil. But the company also offers materials that have been macerated for long periods in its warehouses or purchased from local brokers, such as this extremely rare Sumatran patchouli distilled in 1979.

This inherently unique quality makes it unsuitable for the fragrance industry, where a consistent supply and olfactory profile are paramount. “Whereas my goal is precisely to avoid uniformity and instead seek nuance and variation,” explains the founder. Hence the unprecedented variety of scents in these ouds, which originate from about ten Asian countries. Cleaner when intended for the Japanese market—which is still not very accustomed to oud in the form of essential oil—and with a stronger goat-like scent, a facet resulting from fermentation, for the Middle East, which favors bolder aromas…

From these rare materials, J.K. DeLapp creates attars—essences diluted in sandalwood oil—inspired by India, the Middle East, or Japan, but “filtered through my American perspective,” he explains. Jewish, Muslim, or Ethiopian traditions centered on the Queen of Sheba (Sheba Attar), samurai rituals (Bushido Oud Attar), the scent of smoked incense from Notre-Dame, or even Ghilaf-e-Kaaba Attar—which, according to those of his clients who have made the Hajj, captures the atmosphere of Mecca, a place the American has never set foot in… A hybrid approach, intertwining the strange and the familiar, which this master perfumer describes as “fusion perfumery,” much like one speaks of fusion cuisine.

In fact, it was through fine dining—just as much as through pharmacology—that the perfumer was introduced to his craft. “When we’re taught to formulate remedies, there’s an ‘emperor’ herb, accompanied by ministers, assistants, ambassadors…
The ‘emperor’ isn’t necessarily the ingredient used in the highest dose, but it’s the one that’s highlighted. The others serve to complement it, just as in cooking… or in perfumery. Oud, for example, can be a way to add umami, like a drizzle of fish sauce in a dish, without it being perceived as such.”

Serenity and Sacrilege

Since the herbalist’s palette and the perfumer’s overlap significantly, do Rising Phoenix fragrances have therapeutic properties? The creator’s response: “People write to me saying that since they’ve been wearing my products, they feel better, sleep better, and work better.

And some surgeons, especially in Asia, ask me for room fragrances for the operating room. According to them, this helps them achieve better results with patients, which is strange. And their team is less stressed.” Not solely because of the specific properties of certain ingredients, he insists, but on the one hand, because they are natural ingredients, and on the other hand, because they are “harmonized” blends. “If they enjoy smelling them, it’s bound to have an impact
on their mood.”

Less conducive to the peace of mind of vintage perfume enthusiasts and to the blood pressure of perfume connoisseurs is J.K. DeLapp’s use of nearly century-old concentrates from the legendary fragrances Mitsouko (Guerlain), Shocking (Schiaparelli), and Joy (Jean Patou), diluted in sandalwood oil to create attars. “It’s funny—some people cry sacrilege,” the perfumer says with a chuckle. “For others, it’s the coolest thing ever invented, because the fragrance has a denser, deeper sillage. Just one drop is enough!” Upon hearing this, somewhere in the empyrean of noses, are Jacques Guerlain, Jean Carles, and Henri Almérasse committing seppuku?