IF you imagine a master perfumer leads a charmed life cocooned in luxury and surrounded by the most exquisite scents, spare a thought for Christine Nagel.

The nose of Jo Malone London, she was sent along the windswept shores of the Dorset coastline in cold and windy March to find inspiration for the brand new fragrance Wood Sage & Sea Salt, on sale in September.

"When I received this brief I was given some photographs of the coast and old postcards to look at with rugged cliffs and moody skies," she explains.

"It was sepia photography and the colour was very emotive. When I looked at these pictures I instantly felt the sensation of sea spray, romantic but natural.

"I loved the concept straight away because it was so different.

"The brief was for a mineral scent rather than an aquatic, which is the normal approach to a fragrance inspired by the sea."

She remembers that first research trip to the coast: "It was a cold, foggy day and I could smell the sea spray and hear the sounds of the waves crashing against the cliffs.

"There were different herbs growing and pieces of driftwood, an interesting source of inspiration too. I could taste the sea salt, see the long grasses and driftwood on the beach; this was the start of the story for me."

How to capture the atmosphere of the gunmetal skies and the rugged coastline in a bottle?

A salty aroma doesn't usually work in perfumery, says Christine, so she had to use a different ingredient to achieve it. Mixing salty and mineral elements was also a challenge.

The other important element was the sage, though rare in perfumery in this fragrance it makes up part of the woody element. Normally found in aromatic fragrances, sage in a woody fragrance creates interest and adds sensuality.

For the rest of the fragrance, Christine chose rare ambrette seed, from a plant in the hibiscus family, an expensive raw material that gives texture while still being fresh.

"It is enveloping and cocooning," says Christine, "a touch of buchu leaves adds another unexpected twist. Very simple, very chic."

A trace of dried fruit accord in the heart of the fragrance complements the sea salt and mineral accords. Plum gives a sensation of comfort and softens the fragrance. The base notes contain the sage, as well as guaiacwood which is textured and sensual.

Working with Jo Malone London fragrance director Celine Roux, that trip to the beach defined the new scent.

"On my travels I saw a lot of driftwood on the beaches; when you smell the wood it is extremely sophisticated," says Christine. "The complex combination of the wood and the sea is at the core."

A new and very different combination, Wood Sage & Sea Salt works for both men and women because of the ambiguity of the ingredients. There are no floral notes because Christine says quite simply that when she went to the beach she didn't see any flowers.

The unique character of the scent comes from the sea salt, which mixes well with the ambrette seed.

"It is comparable to tequila in this sense as tequila and salt work together," suggest Christine. "It is elegant and special, yet comfortable and different.

"Wood Sage & Sea Salt is incredible; it is very poetic and romantic."

Bursting with ideas after her visit to the coast, Christine says she actually created 20 different accords. The team fell in love with one of them and continued refining it.

They went to Northumberland to shoot the advertising campaign, perfectly capturing the beach scenes evoked by the perfume.

angela.mcmanus@ eveningtimes.co.uk