When Coco Chanel was presented with a lineup of fragrances by perfumer Ernest Beaux, each one numbered after the one before, she picked the fifth one in the line. That’s how the name of the classic Chanel No. 5 came about and is still loved by many of us today.
While I very much prefer a younger, less sophisticated scent – my classic is the Coco Mademoiselle – a recent Perrier masterclass with mixologist Laurent Gréco showed me that even when it comes to the cocktail hour, most women can’t resist a longtime Chanel favourite in their drink. Even if it’s just temporarily encased in a smoky bubble above the glass of rosy liquid, a Chanel fragrance is still, after all, a Chanel fragrance.