For the fragrance industry, 2026 has begun with its fair share of drama, a lot of which has been covered in this column. We’ve seen innovative retail concepts on the one hand, and numerous bankruptcies on the other. Drastic discounting and blatant dupes are offset by the boom in interest in heritage brands. Activity in mergers and acquisitions is countered by lawsuits. There comes a point when we need to escape the madness, if only for a moment.

That’s how I found myself on a 6 hour train ride from Paris’ Gare de Lyon to Figueres-Vilafant in Spain. Ernesto Collado, founder of Bravanariz, had invited me to Mas Flaquer, his beautifully restored 18th century property in the Catalan countryside, for a 360° olfactory experience.

According to Ernesto, “Smelling another person is perhaps the most intimate act: I breathe in your scent, it passes through my body, and then I exhale it”. Having been an actor and director, he is an animated soul who discovered a passion for the plant world of his local surroundings in l’Empordà, a Catalan region in the Northeast corner of Spain. A self-taught botanist and perfumer, he then founded Bravanariz, a 100% natural niche perfumery brand, though he always aspired to do more. “It’s important that people understand how we smell, how nature smells, why we smell the way we do. At Mas Flaquer people learn how smell connects us powerfully with the environment, with the moment, with others, and with ourselves.”

Driving onto the property we are greeted by stately cypress trees planted at the entry to the farm. This tree is a symbol of welcome and its anti-depressant properties are mood lifting as you leave the mad world behind to enter a peaceful space. Traditionally one cypress tree was a sign that travellers were welcome to come in for a drink; two trees meant they could also get something to eat while three trees meant lodging was also available. There were many more than three trees at Mas Flaquer.

After settling in Ernesto took me on a tour of the property. Olive groves stretch as far as the eye can see. As Ernesto says, “The Olive is a social tree. You never see one by itself, and if you do, it means man put it there. But do you know the difference between the olive tree and the wild olive?”

Sheepishly I shook my head.

“The difference is care. When we care for the tree it gives us everything: shade, protection from the elements, it produces the olives which we can eat or we can make the oil. When we prune the tree, we can burn the branches for warmth. But this only happens if we take care of the tree. It is why the wild olive gives us nothing.”

In the dry garden you can find an aromatic mix of lavender, rosemary, rockroses and many more plants. Ernesto encouraged me to break off some leaves to smell them, then he laughed at me. “It’s not a fragrance blotter! You have to crush them in your hands, rub them so they release their scent. Now you are smelling the true essence of the plants”.

We came to an orchard where mint, cistus and myrtle are currently growing. Later in the year the garden will yield tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants and other vegetables. Nearby you can hear the gentle bleating of the sheep. Two were heavily pregnant, but alas, my visit ended before either gave birth.

As he continued our tour of the property he pointed out the almond trees, already in bloom, and the fig trees. “They are big producers.”

The property boasts a library, an indoor and outdoor classroom, a greenhouse and several accommodation options. An informative pamphlet encourages guests to discover the grounds and the many places to stop, smell, breathe and recharge. A group of giant rocks, maybe a prehistoric formation, is fondly called the Charger, and from here the views of the mountains are breathtaking.

Throw in the fact that Ernesto has put in place a rainwater collection system, so not one drop of water goes to waste. He’s also installed solar panels to generate electricity.

In a nutshell, this is a self-sustaining farm.

But I digress.

I came to Mas Flaquer to experience first-hand the full fragrance creation process from wild harvesting in the hills, to distilling the plants, then creating hydrolates (a distilled herbal water) and essential oil. As Ernesto said “Most people who work in the industry have never been part of the process. I’m offering an experience that not only puts you in touch with nature, but also educates you on the steps that are taken to capture a scent.”

Sure enough we drove up into the hills to the places Ernesto knew well. “We’re going to harvest rosemary today. Normally it only blooms twice a year, around January then in June, but with the amount of rain we have had, the plants are blooming now.” Lucky for us, we were blessed with a glorious pre-Spring day with sunshine and temperatures around 18°c.

Our objective was to collect three tote bags full of rosemary branches which would be sufficient for the distillation process. Ernesto showed me how to wild harvest responsibly. “Only prune the top of the plant and leave half of it untouched. This ensures that the plant isn’t depleted; it will regenerate and grow back stronger.”

While walking through the fields Ernesto shared some of his thoughts. “What does nature tell us? Well, plants have the ability to communicate. Plants are not isolated; they live in communities. Do plants have the ability to think, to make decisions and to morph? I ask myself, Why does the rosemary grow here but not on the other side of the hill, an area typically hit by fires? Plants are smarter than we realize.”

Our next step took us back to the laboratory. We filled a vat with our rosemary cuttings, connected it to a vessel filled with water then set it to boil. As the steam passes through the plant materials it picks up essences and essential oils. The path continues through a pump where droplets collect. After an hour or two, we discover the container is full of the distilled herbal water with essential oil floating on the top. Ernesto carefully skimmed off the oil and drammed it for me along with a bottle of the water, which he referred to as a rosemary hydrolate.

“This harvest will render an essential oil that is particularly powerful. It will be a strong decongestant, a stimulant, it will clarify the mind.” It will sit on my desk in this case to clear away any 5 o’clock fatigue!

By this time the sun was setting after a long, productive day. I returned to my room and Ernesto kindly offered to build a fire before he joined his family for the evening. I prepared myself an omelet adding the wild asparagus we had collected earlier. The tiny spears were no larger than a Q-Tip and incredibly delicate.

I reflected on this beautiful day of discovery, of learning, of olfactory immersion. I’d spent my whole life in the fragrance industry yet I’d never been involved in the physical creation. I’d always been a fan of “learning by doing”, and at long last I’d had a practical experience. I’m grateful to Ernesto and his wife Barbara, who were fantastic hosts.

Ernesto has spent the last few years focused on Mas Flaquer and it shows. He refers to it as rustic, but he has thought of every comfort a guest could want. In April he will host a major retreat focused on different aspects of nature with lectures, installations, a performance, a walk to hear different bird songs, and more. In addition, there will be about 8 workshops throughout the year.

He has also been working with the tourist office for Costa Brava to create a series of 9 short films about olfactology.

Ernesto will once again be leading several olfactory walks in the environs surrounding CityLife during Esxence in Milan. He will show small groups that even in the city, it’s possible to immerse yourself in nature as you get in touch with plant life. Space is limited for this unique experience, check the Esxence website for details on the 2026 events program to be published soon.

For more information visit:

Mas Flaquer, Bravanariz Rural Accommodation in the Empordà - Bravanariz