Casablanca lilies are not for everyone. Their strong, cloying fragrance can be smelled from afar, and many have a low tolerance for them.
But I have always loved them. In Argentina, where I grew up, we call them Azucenas, a word originally from the Arabic meaning "lily." The South American varieties smell fresher and greener, are less spicy, and are particularly strong at night.
Casablanca lilies are a hybrid derived from Central and East Asian species. They have many cousins, all with different perfumes, which have been studied and analyzed over the years but remain challenging to distill. I work with a supplier who creates what has got to be one of the only lily enfleurage materials available worldwide. It is a heavenly material that, when diluted correctly, can be worn as a perfume by itself.
Casablanca is included in my Scent Collection The House Of White Petals, because it is a white flower. However, for those who want to get specific, it shares narcotic qualities with other fragrances we have, like Azahares or Tuberose Mexicana. Casablanca remains, however, fresher than other narcotic flowers because its fragrance has volatile components that we usually associate with "green" or "fresh" smells.
In remaining loyal to the scent of the live, fresh flowers, I created a Casablanca lily perfume far more substantial than other lily candles in the market.
And far more intriguing.
Casablanca is classified as a white floral fragrance with green, spicy, and phenolic aspects. You can learn more about white florals and perfumery classification here.
