Excelsius Fine Fragrance just introduced a fragrance to honor Pope Benedictus XLI on the anniversary of his 60th year as a an ordained clergyman, which is June 29, 2011 (he was appointed as the Vatican's spiritual leader in 2005).
His Holiness,Benedict XVI has been dubbed "the green Pope", last year by Newsweek, for his increasingly vocal concern about damage to the environment and his plans to make the Vatican a carbon-neutral state.
The cologne created to honor his Holiness has an interesting background. Excelsis was founded in 2005 by Frederick J. Hass, M.D. who wanted to duplicate the original formula of Pope Pius IX (1792-1878). He called it The Pope’s Cologne.
The Pope’s Cologne (notes of violet and citrus) caught the immediate attention of the news media. Dr. Hass became fascinated with the history and art of perfumery using essential oils. He began to make fragrances of his own. “I began to dream in fragrances.”
His research led him to sampling perfumes at department stores, “What I came to realize very quickly is that all of these expensive, famous brand perfumes smelled the same because they all share the same synthetic bases. At the same time I found that my own new fragrances, using real essential oils, were better, more pleasing, more complex, more interesting and clearly distinct from one another.
Benedictus – The marriage of linden blossom from Benedict's native Germany with frankincense from the Holy Land and bergamot from Italy creates a subtle and dignified fragrance, befitting a man of finely cultivated tastes. Barely perceptible is a nuance of citrus, and as it evolves, a discrete hint of musk. The overall impression is one of understated elegance. A slightly astringent and balsamic qualityli
It is not clear from the website if Bendedictus and the ten other fragrances are “natural and botanical”. I did email and hope for a follow up.
–Michelyn Camen, Editor-In -Chief