Top Notes 
Marsh Labrador tea
Seawater
Heart Notes 
Scotch heather
Base Notes 
Forest accord
Pine needle
Roots
AmyAmy
54 Reviews
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AmyAmy
Top Review
19
Very special
According to Wikipedia, Max Perttula, the mastermind and nose behind the label Max Joacim, is the only perfumer in Finland. Finland is generally not a particularly fragrance-oriented country, and even in Helsinki, there are only a few small shops that carry this brand. Last year, I had pre-selected the perfumery with the amusingly named Meikkipussi, which means makeup bag, in the so-called Design District as a source. I still vividly remember how the friendly lady in the white coat repeatedly said about “Suopursu” that this scent was “special, very special,” which sounded a bit like a warning. Or was that just a misinterpretation on my part or merely due to the lady's not-so-extensive English vocabulary? Regardless, “special” sounds very enticing to me!
“Suopursu” is the bog rosemary, a white-flowering plant that is still widespread in Scandinavia but is on the Red Lists of endangered plant species in many countries and is nearly extinct in Germany. The bog rosemary has been used as medicine for a long time, and even today, it is hidden behind the homeopathic remedy Ledum. All parts of the plant are mildly toxic, and ingestion can lead to significant poisoning symptoms. Even being in areas with rosemary can allegedly induce states of intoxication, which is why the plant was once added to beer brewing to enhance the alcoholic effect.
Enough background information, but I find it quite fascinating how engaging with perfume continually broadens one's horizons, especially in the field of botany. Other names for bog rosemary include Ledum Palustre, March Tea, Skvattram (these three names also appear on the packaging and the bottle), and Labrador Tea.
On the homepage, “Suopursu” is titled “Swamp and Forest,” which describes it quite well. In summary, I would describe “Suopursu” as (without weighting) 1) very fresh, watery, but without aquatic notes, 2) clean, but not soapy, 3) earthy, but not heavy, and 4) naturally with a variety of green notes. Point 2) and 3) seem to contradict each other, but that is my perception. The fresh notes are initially almost camphor-like and evoke associations of lavender leaf and rosemary. The whole thing is very sparkling, also in the sense of refreshing, peculiar, and very special, indeed! Somehow, this scent is also very Finnish, as it takes the Nordic nature as a starting point but is also strange and slightly off-kilter in the overall result, partly due to the addition of synthetic notes, which are certainly present here.
Whether this scent comes close to the olfactory experience of the wild-growing bog rosemary, which is characteristic of the Finnish summer, I cannot judge. But at least I did encounter the bog rosemary in Helsinki, specifically at the Finnish Museum of Natural History called Luonnontieteelli Museo. There, the plant was presented with a text and a photo, and there was even a small vial to sniff. However, this brew was far from enticing, rather musty. I definitely prefer the aromatic and imaginative interpretation of the theme by Max Joacim!
“Suopursu” is the bog rosemary, a white-flowering plant that is still widespread in Scandinavia but is on the Red Lists of endangered plant species in many countries and is nearly extinct in Germany. The bog rosemary has been used as medicine for a long time, and even today, it is hidden behind the homeopathic remedy Ledum. All parts of the plant are mildly toxic, and ingestion can lead to significant poisoning symptoms. Even being in areas with rosemary can allegedly induce states of intoxication, which is why the plant was once added to beer brewing to enhance the alcoholic effect.
Enough background information, but I find it quite fascinating how engaging with perfume continually broadens one's horizons, especially in the field of botany. Other names for bog rosemary include Ledum Palustre, March Tea, Skvattram (these three names also appear on the packaging and the bottle), and Labrador Tea.
On the homepage, “Suopursu” is titled “Swamp and Forest,” which describes it quite well. In summary, I would describe “Suopursu” as (without weighting) 1) very fresh, watery, but without aquatic notes, 2) clean, but not soapy, 3) earthy, but not heavy, and 4) naturally with a variety of green notes. Point 2) and 3) seem to contradict each other, but that is my perception. The fresh notes are initially almost camphor-like and evoke associations of lavender leaf and rosemary. The whole thing is very sparkling, also in the sense of refreshing, peculiar, and very special, indeed! Somehow, this scent is also very Finnish, as it takes the Nordic nature as a starting point but is also strange and slightly off-kilter in the overall result, partly due to the addition of synthetic notes, which are certainly present here.
Whether this scent comes close to the olfactory experience of the wild-growing bog rosemary, which is characteristic of the Finnish summer, I cannot judge. But at least I did encounter the bog rosemary in Helsinki, specifically at the Finnish Museum of Natural History called Luonnontieteelli Museo. There, the plant was presented with a text and a photo, and there was even a small vial to sniff. However, this brew was far from enticing, rather musty. I definitely prefer the aromatic and imaginative interpretation of the theme by Max Joacim!
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