Issue 9 of Nez is out, and so is Vetiver in Perfumery: "Originating in India and cultivated principally in Haiti, vetiver is a topical grass whose tangled roots contain a fragrant essence that can be extracted via steam distillation. At once fresh, citrusy, vegetal, woody and smoky; vetiver’s essential oil is a perfume all on its own. Though once emblematic of classic masculine perfumery, vetiver has long-since become a staple of the perfumer’s palette and lent its characteristic aroma to countless compositions for both men and women." 96 pages, $25 at Luckyscent (and Issue 9 is $29 for 160 pages, plus they still have Issues 3-8 in stock).

Issue 8 of Nez is out: "Dior Addict, Opium, Obsession... The allusions to illicit products and the conversation of addiction have long accompanied the creation of perfume. But can the latter really induce habituation? Because if perfume and smoke are originally linked, it is the invention of ethanol production processes that drove the development of the sector. [...] Tobacco, alcohol, hard and soft drugs: how does our sense of smell link to addictive substances?" There's also an interview with Serge Lutens and a conversation with Luca Turin. $29 at Luckyscent, or pay $60 and get a 15 ml bottle of Hongkong Oolong ("A smoky, spicy, milky, leathery tea fragrance" by Maurice Roucel).

Need some late summer reading? Here's Nez 7: "The seventh edition of Nez examines the numerous, complex connections that link odours and animality. Nez #7 issue addresses such questions as
~ How do animals use their sensitive noses?
~ What is a vegan fragrance?
~ Is the human sense of smell really as ancillary to our other senses as we think it is?" $29 at Indigo Perfumery.

Ah, tempting. Narcissus in Perfumery is a new volume from Nez (and there's one about rose, too): "Narcissus, so delicate in its appearance, gives off a fragrance that is heady, complex and bordering on narcotic. Immerse yourself in the world of the Auvergne narcissus across botany, history, art, gastronomy, literature, agriculture, economy and chemistry, not to mention perfume and perfumers. Nez éditions (Nez, the olfactory magazine) has teamed up with Laboratoire Monique Rémy (LMR), the gold standard in natural ingredients for the perfume industry, to present a collection that is unique in the field: The Naturals Notebook. A deluxe, collection-worthy magazine featuring contributions from Éléonore de Bonneval, Jeanne Doré, Will Inrig, Clara Muller and Delphine de Swardt, and photos and illustrations by Amélie Fontaine." 96 pages, $22 at Luckyscent.