Perfumery Intensives

Perfumery Intensives
Ongoing, with Spyros Drosopoulos
Locations Variable / Online

The Institute for Art and Olfaction and perfumer Spyros Drosopoulos team up frequently to offer an ongoing series of intensives; an introduction to perfumery, science, formulating, and – of course – all the materials and tips an independent perfumer could ask for.

These intensives provide a comprehensive overview of technical perfumery, geared to beginner and intermediate independent practitioners with scent. Over five days of learning, you will gain a solid foundation in the art and science of perfumery, forming a new practice—or enhancing an existing practice—with deep, technical knowledge that is rooted in a robust familiarity with materials.

Our intensives are designed to help independent perfumers kick their proficiency levels up a notch, and to help beginners take the dive into scent-making as a creative practice. The facts-based curriculum covers the most crucial elements of perfumery, allowing participants to learn (or re-learn) the basics, as well as the special tricks needed to deploy compositional prowess.

Rooted in hands-on applications, the course ultimately serves to kickstart perfumery practices for newcomers, professionalize a practice for experienced perfumers, and—for both—to teach the skills required for greater adeptness in formulating.

Join us!

COMING UP

Catalonia, Spain – SOLD OUT
The Art and Craft of Perfumery: History, Extraction, and Formulation Intensive

with Saskia Wilson-Brown, Spyros Drosopoulos, and Ernesto Collado
at Mas Flaquer, Spain

Program Dates: June 14 – 20, 2026
Schedule varies daily.

Perfumery is a complex practice. For this reason, it is often presented and taught in the context of oppositions: natural versus synthetic, historic versus contemporary. These dualities present a divisive approach to perfumery, which serves only to fracture and limit the potential of the practice.

Mas Flaquer is a regenerative farm outside Barcelona which serves as the headquarters for Spanish perfume brand Bravanariz, It is here that Ernesto Collado, Spyros Drosopoulos and Saskia Wilson-Brown combine their areas of expertise to present a six day perfume intensive that approaches the practice with a holistic and inclusive lens.

Through a combination of field work, hands-on blending time, and lectures, this intensive will highlight the connections between diverse ways of working: It will focus on how to interrelate natural sourcing and extraction strategies, modern chemistry, technical perfumery, and experimentation. In this way, this intensive will provide participants with an expansive understanding of all the possibilities for their craft, and a fuller appreciation of what is possible with scent.

This course is being administered by the team at Brava Nariz / Mas Flaquer.

+ Learn more and sign up here (This course is sold out.)

Chateau le Grippault, Loire Valley
Five day perfume intensive

with Spyros Drosopoulos + Saskia Wilson-Brown

Program dates: October 5 to October 9, 2026
Schedule: 10am – 6pm, daily

We return to the charming Chateau le Grippault in the Loire Valley for a five day perfume intensive with Spyros Drospoulos.

The stunning historic castle sits on a beautiful wooded estate just minutes from the historic town of Richelieu (former seat of the famous Cardinal Richelieu), and provides a perfect retreat: A place to focus on learning, in a small group of eight people, led by Spyros’ methodical, materials-based approach. Mornings are spent in lecture, and afternoons are spent applying what you have learned to your own compositions. Group dinners every night, with plenty of opportunity for excursions to the nearby town.

Limited to eight participants.

+ Learn more and sign up here

PAST COURSES

2026: Perfumery Intensive at Baruti, Athens
March 2 to 6, 2026
A five day intensive in Baruti Perfume’s fully stocked laboratory in Athens, Greece.

2025: Perfumery Intensive at Le Grippault, Loire Valley, France
October 20 to 24, 2025
We returned to Le Grippault Academy in the Loire Valley for our second five day perfume intensive.

2025: 5 DAY IN PERSON
June 16 – 21, 2025
The Art and Craft of Perfumery: History, Extraction, and Formulation Intensive
with Saskia Wilson-Brown, Spyros Drosopoulos, and Ernesto Collado at Mas Flaquer, Spain

2025: 5 DAY ONLINE INTENSIVE
Tuesday April 1, 15, 22, 29 and May 6, 2025

2025: WINTER SESSION, IN PERSON
at The Institute for Art and Olfaction, Los Angeles
Monday June 13 – 17, 2025

2025: LAB EXPANSION COURSE, ONLINE
January 7 + 21, 2025

2024: SUMMER SESSION, IN PERSON
at Chateau Le Grippault, in the Loire Valley, France
Monday 10 June to Friday 14 June

2024: WINTER SESSION, ONLINE
January / February, 2024

2023: SPRING SESSION, ONLINE
May, 2023

2022: WINTER SESSION, IN LOS ANGELES
November, 2022

2022: SUMMER SESSION, ONLINE
July, 2022

2022: WINTER SESSION, ONLINE
January, 2022

2021: SUMMER SESSION, ONLINE
June, 2021

2021: WINTER SESSION, ONLINE
February, 2021

2020: AUTUMN SESSION, ONLINE
October, 2020