From spirits group Rémy Cointreau comes Maison Psyché, a luxurious perfume house whose exquisite new line of fragrances serves as a bridge between two seemingly disparate worlds
While ultra‑luxurious perfumes are no longer a rarity in today’s beauty realm, some fragrance houses have set themselves apart from the others by introducing premium offerings for their most discerning customers, or bespoke services for clients who wish to create their own customised scents.
A new luxurious perfume house has quietly made an entrance—and it is unlike any other. The name? Maison Psyché. An extension of French spirits house Rémy Cointreau, which boasts an exceptional portfolio that includes world‑renowned cognacs Rémy Martin and Louis XIII, it launched last October with a line of five exquisite fragrances created with the intention of elevating the art of perfume‑making.
At Maison Psyché, the specific blending and ageing expertise that characterises the world of spirits is used to elevate the finest raw materials used in perfume -making to create innovative fragrances. It all began when Remy Cointreau’s CEO Eric Vallat was inspired to let perfume sublimate in an oak barrel to imbue it with a fuller bouquet and even more nobility. This was enough to kick‑start the unique creation process at Maison Psyché. In January this year, Tatler Singapore had the opportunity to discover Maison Psyché with its CEO Francesco Riosa in Paris, a one‑of‑a‑kind experience that is only proposed to a number of truly exceptional clients. To date, there remains an air of mystery and secrecy surrounding the Maison Psyché perfumes. Riosa is perfectly content with the idea that not many are aware of these highly exclusive fragrances, which are produced in very limited quantities—only 200 units for each perfume. “The Maison Psyché perfumes are a real concentrate of craftsmanship and are like true small [pieces] of art. [They are] therefore addressed to a selected audience of clients that appreciate rarity and true exclusivity,” says Riosa.
To say that each of Maison Psyché’s fragrances—Alexanor, Belle‑Dame, Alcyone, Nymphalis and Hamadryas—is a piece of artwork is an understatement. Beyond the creation of exceptional perfumes, the project alone has brought together masters and craftsmen from various disciplines, including perfumery, cooperage, crystal‑making, jewellery and bronze‑working.
Inspired by some of the house’s masterworks, the bottles are made from Baccarat crystal, in keeping with time‑honoured techniques. Meanwhile, the master coopers of Seguin Moreau designed the oak kegs, which are customised and handmade using the staves, or oak slats, from old Rémy Martin casks that previously contained eaux de vie. At the heart of this creative process is a match made in perfumery heaven: veteran perfumer Sophie Labbé of Firmenich, one of the world’s largest privately‑owned fragrance and taste companies, and Rémy Martin’s cellar master Baptiste Loiseau. Both creatives share similar traits, including a strong work ethic, a passion for French heritage and even the same home town: Cognac in France.
