From bulb to bud to bloom. Ostara – Penhaligon’s ode to spring and the beauty of the daffodil

This spring British niche perfume house Penhaligon’s will launch Ostara, a luminous solar floral created by Master Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Inspired by the daffodil, the fragrance is a modern interpretation of this delicate and incandescent flower.

The flower that represents the optimism of the English spring inspired French nose Bertrand Duchaufour to create the bright yellow color and luminous green notes of Ostara by Penhaligon’s.

“Artist Melissa Bailey has created this beautiful and unique custom illustration of Ostara exclusively for the launch. She has used gentle brush strokes to recreate the fragrance in her own distinct style in a combination of watercolours and inks. We think it’s absolutely beautiful,” said Penhaligon’s.

The eau de toilette available in two sizes — 50ml (€80) and 100ml (€110) opens with citrus, red fruit, juniper, violet and mint top notes. The heart of the fragrance is filled with daffodil absolute, beeswax, ylang ylang and hyacinth, while the base is composed from styrax resin, vanilla, benzoin, amber, musk and white woods.

In 1802, the distinguished poet William Wordsworth wrote about a sea of daffodils in his poem, ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’. Excerpts have been included on the outer packaging of the fragrance to reflect the radiance of the flower”:

“Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.”