The power and complexity of its musky, woody, leathery, smoky and honeyed scent is only matched by the mystery of its creation; largely random since it depends on the fungal infection of a Southeast Asian tree also known as Agarwood (Aquilaria). Only diseased specimens produce an aromatic resin that is distilled to obtain an oil. It is among the most sought-after ingredients, and is also one of the most expensive, resulting in poaching. This is why Francis Kurkdjian has chosen an Oud produced according to the principles of fair and sustainable trade. He combines its vibrant notes with intense flowers, spices and other woods for a bewitching sillage.

The amber used in perfumery has nothing to do with the yellow amber stone, which is ornamental but has no smell, nor with ambergris, which refers to an animal extract from the sperm whale. The amber accord inspired a series of successful perfumes launched at the beginning of the last century. It included two flagship ingredients, cistus labdanum, with its warm, resinous, animal facets, and vanillin, a new, sweet aromatic compound, which is the primary component of vanilla. Since then, the combination of these two warm and persistent notes has been considered to form the amber accord, generally enriched with tonka bean, coumarin and resins such as benzoin or incense, which are all base notes.

The resin of Styrax tonkinsesis, endemic to Southeast Asia, is obtained by notching the trunk of its tree to make it "cry". Once incised, the tears thus collected form a whitish liquid that turns amber-yellow as it solidifies. Six months later, classified according to its purity, this gum is harvested, cleaned and treated. The scent can be extracted by infusion in alcohol or by extraction with volatile solvents. The smell of benzoin is multi-faceted: sweet vanilla, with a gourmand caramel effect, honeyed, syrupy. Its enveloping properties are used as a base note, and perfume both Orthodox churches and Buddhist temples.

Despite its readily identifiable and popular perfume, the violet is a mute flower, as it is impossible to extract its perfume naturally. Only the leaves and stems can be used for extraction. The green scent of spicy cucumber they exude is antithesis to the flower's scent. To reproduce the fruity, gourmand and slightly woody fragrance of its petals, Francis Kurkdjian uses odorous molecules called Ionones (ionos means purple in Greek), discovered and made available to perfumers at the end of the 19th century. In feminine perfumery, the violet lends a powdery facet or a gustatory sensation that blends beautifully with rosy notes. Its green facet is widely used in men's fragrances.