Eau de Bacon

Bacōn perfume—pronounced bay-cone—is no joke. Skipping our taste buds and going straight for our nasal passages, Fargginay has introduced the world’s first bacon fragrance. My husband says had I worn it on our first date, he would have married me on the spot.

Lest you think you’ll walk around smelling like a hearty breakfast, the company claims that the perfume both does and doesn’t smell like actual bacon. The varieties Bacōn Classic and Bacōn Gold comprise essential oils, flowers, herbs and the “essence” of bacon. Like other fragrances, this line consists of top, middle and base notes—base being the smallest but heaviest component of the scent (the “lingering” part), which is where you’ll find the familiar smoky aroma. Classic is crafted with bergamot, orange, lime, grapefruit, black pepper, cedar wood, vetiver and guaiac wood; Gold contains mandarin, bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, nutmeg, pimento berry and black pepper. Each sells for $36 per bottle.

Surprisingly, the Bacōn fragrance isn’t a new idea; it’s based on a legend. In 1920, John Fargginay, a Parisian butcher, discovered the ability to dramatically elevate his customers' moods with a secret recipe blending 11 popular pure essential oils with the essence of bacon. As the story goes, film stars and heads of state would frequent his shop to buy the elixir, until July 4, 1924, when a fire destroyed the business—and the magic formula. Good news: They’ve re-created the essence with a modern subtle twist. —Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor
and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.

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