What does Munich smell like? And what would happen if you captured this odour and bottled it? Would if smell like weisswurst (veal sausage) and pretzels? Like hops and malt? Or perhaps like the Isar river and a warm foehn wind? Ursula Lengling has, in fact, designed a Munich perfume. We talked to her about her inspiration, fragrance imagery, and the long journey to the perfect blend.
Munich is one of the cities with its own perfume house dedicated to creating sophisticated, elaborate, and high-quality fragrances. Known as Maison Lengling, this owner-run business is located right next to the Frauenkirche (cathedral). Ursula and Christian Lengling have been offering their unique fragrances in exclusive perfumeries in Germany and abroad since 2015. In the past three years, they also sell them locally in their own perfume boutique near the cathedral. These are genuine perfumes, with a fragrance oil content of up to 30 percent. In comparison: eau de toilette contains a maximum of eight per cent, eau de cologne only three to five per cent.
We sat down with Ursula Lengling, the creative mind behind the brand, to find out what defines a typical Munich fragrance and how she perceives the city's scent. She shared her thoughts with us in Lengling's all-white offices, located above the boutique.
Ms Lengling, there is one perfume in your selection that you describe as your Munich fragrance: the Eisbach. Why?
It is a declaration of love to a place that my husband and I have cherished since our youth. The area around the Eisbachwelle (river wave) is defined by its contrasts. While the entrance to the Englischer Garten is actually quiet, just a few steps further, the Eisbachwelle is roaring with full force. Not far away, near the Japanese tea house that Japan gifted to the city for the 1972 Olympic Games, there is again a deep silence. We have a close connection to Japan.
In what way?
My husband was born in Japan and spent the first few years of his life there. We have travelled the country extensively. My aim was to capture these two poles in this fragrance – the power of the wave and the tranquillity of the teahouse. I wanted to create a balance between energy and harmony.
How did you imitate these poles in the fragrances?
For the dynamic part, I selected citrus notes – known as hesperides in our industry, which give the perfume a fresh and energetic quality. There are several of these in the composition, such as bergamot from Italy, lime and grapefruit. Additionally, there is cassis and tangy mimosa, which has a slight hint of cucumber.
For the calming counterpart, we chose grounding notes, such as an absolute from green tea, a high-quality natural perfume oil that we source directly from Japan. We paired this tart fragrance with herbs like basil or lavender, which are known for their calming effects. In total, this perfume contains over 50 different oils in varying concentrations.
How do you determine the concentration of each fragrance in the perfume?
This is typically determined through a process of trial and error. But you can say that citrus fragrances generally need a higher concentration, because they are volatile. Then, I would, for example, reduce the heavy wooden note. Eventually, when the variants only differ in nuances, I rely on my intuition.
It is a declaration of love to a place that my husband and I have cherished since our youth. The area around the Eisbachwelle is defined by its contrasts.
In order to develop a fragrance, you must have a clear idea of its intended character and the associations it should evoke. How do you know that at the beginning of the process?
I used to paint a lot and, as with a painting, the creation of a fragrance starts with an idea in my head. It's an inspiration, a feeling, a memory of a certain mood to which I paint a fragrance picture that exists only in my mind. That's the basis; it can be a balmy summer night in Andalusia under a beautiful clear starry sky that you gaze up to in love. That was the mood I aimed to capture with our first fragrance El Pasajero, the traveller. I can always smell the fragrance image beforehand, but at that point, it only exists in my head.
How do you translate your image into a tangible substance?
Then it's time for the realisation, the translation into the substance. This is a lengthy process. First, I must describe my olfactory image to our team. I determine the most important oils that the perfume could contain, knowing exactly what fragrance character certain blends will develop. So, the direction is set and I define the main components. But this is just a rough draft, because a fragrance has 50 to 70 components and I can't predetermine them all in advance.
My team then tries to follow my inspiration and briefing as closely as possible. Eventually, the final bouquet is created that reflects my fragrance vision. During this process, by the way, only my husband is allowed to give feedback on a specific scent. Input from others would confuse me and I could deviate from the predetermined path and spoil everything. It's a solitary journey that I only undertake with Christian.
I used to paint a lot and, as with a painting, the creation of a fragrance starts with an idea in my head. It's an inspiration, a feeling, a memory of a certain mood to which I paint a fragrance picture that exists only in my mind.
Sounds tedious.
There is extensive experimentation with each perfume, sometimes I start from scratch to gradually get closer to the original inspiration. This process can span years.
Yet, the result is a very distinctive and unconventional fragrance. What distinguishes them from mainstream perfumes?
They are more extreme, more unusual; they are designed to polarise. We don’t want to smooth them out or tailor them to appeal to the masses. They should stand for something, just as the Eisbach perfume does for Munich. Like the people here, it is clear and spirited on the one hand, but calm and relaxed at the same time. The fragrance is rooted in Munich, just like us and our company.
How else can you distinguish them?
Our connection to Munich is also reflected in the design of the bottle. The lid is an exact replica of an Isar pebble that we found by the river years ago, with a shape that feels flattering in the hand. We source many materials from the region, such as the paper for our packaging. It comes from Gmund on Tegernsee (lake). The oils, however, come from all over the world. They are all extremely high quality, some cost several thousand euros per kilo. Elegance, high quality, and regional authenticity are among our top priorities. These are qualities that suit Munich and us.
Thank you very much for the interview, Ms Lengling!
Good to know: There are other non-mainstream shops in Munich that offer unique fragrances, such as Ludwig Beck on Rathauseck, Parfümerie Brückner on Marienplatz (main square) or Parfums uniques on Klenzestrasse, where Lengling fragrances are usually also available. If you not only want to see the Eisbach, but also carry it home with you on your skin, a visit to these shops is definitely worthwhile.
