[²He] Helium One of those 2012

Helium. A noble gas. Inert, as its shell is completely filled with electrons. Other elements strive for this state as well - some more urgently, some more calmly - forming bonds to "feel" filled with electrons or to get rid of some. And all just to act like a noble gas.

In table salt, sodium chloride, sodium willingly throws its lonely, surplus outer electron at chlorine's elemental feet. The latter eagerly snatches it up to fill the only gap in its outer shell. An ionic bond has formed.

Two hydrogen atoms, each with one electron, want a second one each, then their shell is full. An oxygen atom shamelessly wishes for two more to add to its six outer electrons, so it can count: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 - Hooray, I am a noble gas! Together they are now a water molecule.

Helium doesn't need such things. Broad, sluggish, and well-stuffed, it is even too phlegmatic to cheer. Late chemical decadence. Why late? Well, about 14 billion years after the Big Bang…

I tested 2He Helium together with its sibling 1H Hydrogen, of course, the two scents could hardly be more different, I am undoubtedly with the highly esteemed Palonera. Perhaps a look at the periodic table of elements is not entirely wrong, where hydrogen and helium form a lonely tooth on the left and right, respectively, at the very top and face each other.

I had the thought that some aspects in 1H Hydrogen may be laid out, which in 2He Helium are somewhat filled in, deepened, such as the fruit. That each additional electron, proton, and neutron smells so intensely… But that is merely a brain fart that undoubtedly does not withstand conceptual scrutiny. An equation like “Bergamot from 1H plus Benzoin from 2He = candied orange from 2He” seems silly, even though I stand behind the corresponding scent impressions. Yet the differences simply outweigh.

2He is quite a wild hodgepodge: non-alcoholic mulled wine or children's punch kicks off the start. After a few minutes, creamy resin shines through, refreshed by mint. I perceive a bright caramel note. Red grape juice? Apple juice? The latter is generally an important component of - children's punch. So I stick with that. I notice more sweet-sour. Bitter almond with candied fruit comes to mind. A fruit-honey gourmand, another sudden thought. Flower honey. Later rose. Fruit candy rose. At some point, I eagerly nod to the indication ‘pipe tobacco’. That fits well, it is sweet. Dried fruit. Plum jam with cinnamon. And again we are back to gourmand. A fruit-tobacco scent has emerged.

From the fifth hour on, 2He gradually takes a turn towards patchouli. This had already hinted much earlier, as after three hours the tobacco sweetness had slightly roughened. After eight hours, the new line is clearly noticeable. I personally find the combination of fruit and patchouli somewhat unfortunate, it makes the scent quite dry. However, since the children's punch note continues to blast away relentlessly, a steadfast downer might be appropriate. Not that we end up with a children's headache along with a subsequent children's hangover.

By the way, this would indeed be a timid hint at the manufacturer's kinship between 1H and 2He: This kind of dust layer that settles over the scent towards the end of the progression (although much less pronounced in 1H). Moreover, both have a comparatively slow let’s-call-it scent development. Nevertheless, 2He makes quite a racket in contrast to its colleague. To spread so much unrest would be completely foreign to a helium atom.

In this respect, the only further interpretation left in this case is the statement of the perfumer, who had a kind of spiritual journey in a gas balloon in mind. Strange things seem to be happening up there in the gondolas.

I thank you deeply for the sample.