KINGDOM BOTANICA by Kingdom Scotland

When we think of tropical plants and luscious gardens, thoughts often take us to places such as the Seychelles or the Côte d’Azur. These areas are awash with succulents, creamy florals, and outstanding aromatics. What we forget, though, is that the United Kingdom is also blessed with incredible homegrown plants, flowers and shrubs. Trying to find damsons, or the Scottish primrose, outside of the UK is next to impossible. It’s these country-specific plants that inspired the various botanical gardens around the world and, while Kew Gardens is often first to spring to mind, it’s the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh that’s celebrated in Kingdom Botanica from Kingdom Scotland.

Imogen Russon-Taylor launched Kingdom Scotland in 2018 after carefully considering the links between the Scottish whisky industry and the perfume industry. Whisky had been her original career, and she found it incredible that, even though there were so many similarities between the two, there was no actual Scottish perfume house. This inspired her to come up with a plan to fill that gap and, with a debut collection of three fragrances, Metamorphic, Albaura and Portal, launched into an arguably overcrowded market. Happily, Kingdom Scotland found its place and has gone on to become an established award winner.

The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh was first founded in 1670 but, due to a number of factors and relocations, can be said to have truly begun in 1820 at its current Inverleith site. Spanning 70 acres, it showcases a diverse plant collection from around the world, some dating back to its original conception, and still continues to observe its mission to combine plant conservation, horticultural excellence, and scientific research. It still manages to attract both visitors and botanists, whether that’s to the Victorian Palm House or the Chinese Hillside, and so it was fitting that its major anniversary should be celebrated in scent.

To create the fragrance, Imogen turned to perfumer Stephanie Anderson. She was tasked with realising in scent “the adventurous Scottish plant hunters of the past, present and future”, while at the same time celebrating the then 350th birthday of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. With such a vast canvas of possible ingredients and references to call on, the ultimate challenge would end up being what to leave out rather than to put in. Over-exuberance could have resulted in a dense, thick and heavy concoction, but instead we are treated to a luxurious, radiant and addictive experience – the perfect scented celebration.

Kingdom Botanica bursts from the bottle with an unexpected rush of floral notes, particularly jasmine and ylang ylang, but there is also a peppered rose in the blend that is absolutely magical. This is then joined by top notes of bergamot and galbanum, with its wonderfully piercing green quality, and this locks seamlessly onto a green botanical accord that has traces of lavender, cardamom and pine. This opening journey is continued with a decadent amber base that spotlights earthy patchouli and hessian-like vetiver, but places them expertly against an incense blend that adds a ceremonial quality to the fragrance. With a final billowing musk echoing the spacious gardens, Kingdom Botanica is a perfumed nod to the past but with a foot firmly in the present.

Kingdom Botanica is available from the Kingdom Scotland website at kingdomscotland.com, and also Les Senteurs, priced at £140 for 50ml. [Sample provided by Imogen Russon-Taylor]