Molecule 02

Escentric Molecules portables are 30ml fragrances that slot into sleek, minimalist cases for maximum portability. Each metal case is blasted with stainless steel 'sand' to burnish the surface to a soft lustre. It is then anodised for high durability. The upper face of the Molecule 02 case lid is stamped with the letter m in binary code: 01101101 and the number 02. Molecule 02 consists of the molecule Ambroxan pure and singular. Ambroxan has a subtle sensual quality with a radiant, long-lasting drydown. It is a crystal with a chemical structure identical to the ambrox derived from ambergris. For centuries ambergris was perhaps the most prized ingredient in perfumery. It is a somewhat mysterious substance expelled by the cachalot or sperm whale that only attains its fine scent after a long maturation floating in the ocean. Ambergris is rarely found these days, and the 'amber' in a modern fragrance will be a lab-created equivalent of some of the aroma-molecules that make up its scent. By far the finest of these is the nature-identical molecule, Ambroxan. Ambergris was always valued for its refinement as well as its sensuality. This quality persists in Ambroxan. "It has a fresh, almost mineral quality," says perfumer Geza Schoen, "that lingers into the drydown". Ambroxan was isolated from plant sources in 1950.