Copper Alembic Perfume Distiller
Tired of buying over-priced perfumes? Why not try making your own scents right in your very own home? Yes, that's right you too can try your hand at perfumery with the cool new Copper Alembic Perfume Distiller.
I couldn't describe it any finer than Hammacher.com does so, "Handcrafted in the Iberian Peninsula by Al-Ambik, makers of fine distilling instruments since 1853, this copper alembic distiller is reminiscent of those used for over 1,200 years to extract essential oils from plants for use in perfumes. It was invented around 775 A.D. by Jabir Ibn Haiyan (Geber), renowned as the Father of Chemistry. Simply place water and fragrant plant leaves (such as lavender, peppermint, or thyme) into the 2 2/3-quart cucurbit, light the oil lamp and place it under the cucurbit. As the water boils, steam extracts essential oils from the plant and fills the vessel with oil vapor. The oil vapor passes from the cucurbit through the swan-neck tube and, once it reaches the water-filled condensing pot, it is cooled and converted into a concentrated liquid. The aromatic oil is deposited into a copper cooling cup for use in perfumes."
Also be sure to check out the movie Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer. It's about this weird guy with an amazing sense of smell who learns to make perfumes by a master perfumist (Dustin Hoffman), using this same type of equipment. However, he then goes completely insane and begins murdering women and uses their bodies to capture their essence in the most intoxicating perfume in the world. It's quite interesting in the beginning to see how the perfumes are actually made and then the second half is completly shocking. As far as movies about perfume go, it's pretty good and I'm a guy!
