Help shape a fragrance inspired by Kenmare and the people who know and remember it.
I am now inviting people to join a series of small, guided scent sessions.
You do not need to know anything about perfume. You do not even need to be a perfume lover.
I am looking for people who know Kenmare, its town, bay, landscape, weather and changing seasons.
You may live here, have grown up here, work here, visit regularly or simply carry strong memories of the place.
Sessions will take place in person and online.
No perfume knowledge needed
Small, guided groups
In person or online
No preparation required
The Sessions
What happens during a session?
Each session lasts about 50 minutes and is guided by a moderator.
We begin with a short conversation about Kenmare. You then smell a series of coded scent jars and write down your first reactions before the group discussion.
A place.
A memory.
A season.
Something that feels right.
Something that feels missing.
The scent names are not revealed beforehand. This helps us avoid influencing your response.
There are no correct answers. You will not be asked to identify perfume ingredients or judge a finished fragrance.
Your impressions will help guide the development of the final scent.
For online sessions, you will need to receive or collect a small scent kit before the meeting. Details will be arranged directly with you.
The journey
From first idea to first release
A fragrance shaped by memory, place and people.
August–September 2026
Community Recruitment
Local contributors are invited to join small groups and share their memories of Kenmare. Places are limited to a maximum of 20 people.
Still in progress
August 2026 – Spring 2027
Local Scent and Botanical Research
Luis explores the Kenmare Bay area with local foragers, observing its places and native plants across the changing seasons.
Still in progress
September–October 2026
Community Memory Sessions
Small groups of around four contributors explore coded scent references and write down the places, moments and memories they bring to mind.
Still in progress
We are here
October 2026
Three Shared Scent Directions
The responses from every group are considered together to identify three possible fragrance directions.
November–December 2026
First Fragrance Compositions
Luis develops the first fragrance compositions using the shared themes that emerged across all the contributor groups.
January 2027
Contributor Fragrance Review
Contributors return to experience the early fragrance versions and share their feedback.
February 2027
Fragrance Refinement
Luis refines the chosen fragrance in response to the community’s shared feedback.
March 2027
Final Scent Reveal
The finished Kenmare fragrance is revealed to the contributors and the wider community.
April 2027
Production Preparation
Final production and launch preparations take place before the limited edition is released.
May 2027
Limited Edition Release
The completed Kenmare fragrance is released as a limited edition after the final production work is complete.
August–September 2026
In progress
Community Recruitment
Local contributors are invited to join small groups and share their memories of Kenmare. Places are limited to a maximum of 20 people.
August 2026 – Spring 2027
In progress
Local Scent and Botanical Research
Luis explores the Kenmare Bay area with local foragers, observing its places and native plants across the changing seasons.
September–October 2026
In progress
Community Memory Sessions
Small groups of around four contributors explore coded scent references and write down the places, moments and memories they bring to mind.
October 2026
We are here
Three Shared Scent Directions
The responses from every group are considered together to identify three possible fragrance directions.
November–December 2026
First Fragrance Compositions
Luis develops the first fragrance compositions using the shared themes that emerged across all the contributor groups.
January 2027
Contributor Fragrance Review
Contributors return to experience the early fragrance versions and share their feedback.
February 2027
Fragrance Refinement
Luis refines the chosen fragrance in response to the community’s shared feedback.
March 2027
Final Scent Reveal
The finished Kenmare fragrance is revealed to the contributors and the wider community.
April 2027
Production Preparation
Final production and launch preparations take place before the limited edition is released.
May 2027
Limited Edition Release
The completed Kenmare fragrance is released as a limited edition after the final production work is complete.
Scent, memory and place
The Story
Born from this place, shaped by its people
Kenmare sits between mountains, woodland and sea. Its character changes with weather, tide and season. Salt air, wet stone, hedgerows, fields, woods and harbour life all form part of how the place is remembered.
The Kenmare Scent Project asks what a fragrance can hold of that experience. The answer cannot come from landscape alone. It also has to come from the people who know the town, bay and surrounding area.
We are gathering memories, reactions to coded scent references and local field observations. Luis will use that material to develop the fragrance, then bring the early compositions back to contributors for review.
"The fragrance will be shaped by what people remember, what they recognise and what they feel is missing."
A Note from Luis
Why I am doing this
I have often wondered what Kenmare would smell like if its story could be expressed through fragrance.
But I realised very quickly that I should not decide that alone. I will compose the perfume, but the memories and reactions gathered through this project will help decide what the fragrance needs to express.
The Process
From landscape to bottle
Four stages, each grounded in the people and places of Kenmare.
Collecting scent memories
Gather
People with a connection to Kenmare share memories, places, seasons and small details that stay with them.
Reading the local landscape
Observe
Local field research follows the coast, hedgerows, woods and changing seasons. This keeps the scent work grounded in the place itself.
Translating responses into scent
Compose
In the studio, shared themes and scent responses are translated into trial compositions. Contributors return to review the early versions and help identify what feels true to Kenmare.
The finished fragrance
Reveal
The chosen fragrance is refined, prepared for production and presented back to the community. The planned limited edition release is May 2027.
The People
Founding Contributors
The people shaping this fragrance through their memories, stories and knowledge of Kenmare.
My bike, it allows me to experience the magical beauty of Kenmare
Project support
With thanks
The Kenmare Scent Project is being helped by people and places who have given their time, skills and practical support to the work.
Torrey pine from Derreen Gardens, prepared by Jason Borst for The Kenmare Scent Project.
Torrey pine presentation base
Jason Borst
Jason prepared a wooden base for The Kenmare Scent Project from a branch of Torrey pine from Derreen Gardens. He sanded and finished the piece by hand, keeping the natural form, bark and character of the wood. It forms part of the project’s scent-session presentation.
Community session host
The Lansdowne Hotel, Kenmare
Aileen Hanley, Director and Owner
The Lansdowne Hotel is supporting The Kenmare Scent Project by providing space for our community scent sessions. Our thanks to Aileen Hanley, Director and Owner of The Lansdowne Hotel, for welcoming the project and giving contributors a place to gather, talk and take part in the research.
