Aroma kits ‘Made in France’
Every Éditions Jean Lenoir aroma kit is handmade in France with the same attention to
detail and high standards of quality that have made our reputation since 1981.
Every aspect of a kit – glassware, paper, design, screen-printing – relies on the artisanal expertise of talented craftspeople from all over France. The different components are assembled by hand in Provence, in our workshop in Cassis.
Every kit is created just a stone’s throw from the sea, in a state-of-the-art site nestled in the foothills where Mediterranean pines sit alongside vineyards. An exceptional natural environment that gives inspiration to our team, most of whom have been with the small, family-run business for many years.
From the small Mediterranean fishing port nearby, the aroma kits are shipped to over 70 countries, ending up in the hands and under the noses of people all over the world.
Aromas ‘made in house’
It is also in Cassis that the aromas contained in the vials are continuously developed in a cutting-edge laboratory.
Fruit, flower or spice, there is a recipe for every aroma. Developed with the help of flavourists and validated by Viva Lenoir, they require a careful combination of compounds, a subtle dosage, and numerous trials to achieve a stable, strikingly realistic result. Their longevity is guaranteed for five years.
Each aroma is precisely reconstituted according to the beverage from which it emanates. For example, the lemon in Le Nez du Vin is not the same as the lemon in Le Nez du Whisky, which has a greener, more pungent, deeper accent, reminiscent of candied citrus fruit. Similarly, the roasted hazelnut scent in Le Nez du Café develops a woody nuance reminiscent of being toasted over embers, while its version in Le Nez du Vin is more reminiscent of chocolate-hazelnut spread.
Design objects
The kits created by Éditions Jean Lenoir offer a multi-sensory experience, breaking from the conventional way we relate to books – an approach that owes nothing to chance. In 1980, visual artist Daniel Spoerri inspired Jean Lenoir to design a ‘book–object’. This inventor of Eat Art and tableaux-pièges (‘snare-pictures’), object art that immortalises the remains of meals in a vertical format, enjoyed turning people’s senses upside down as well as tantalising them – the artist also opened several restaurants.
Although Jean Lenoir himself chose the encyclopaedic format and glass vials still used today for Le Nez du Vin, he entrusted the design of each collection to renowned graphic designers.
In 2006, Atelier ter Bekke & Behage came up with colourful new cases for the entire Le Nez du Vin collection, which was celebrating its 25th anniversary. In 2013, the Paris-based Dutch graphic design duo translated the equally rich aromatic personality of whiskies into a strong visual identity. In 2014, Le Nez du Whisky won first prize in the ‘Publishing’ category at the 10th awards for French printing.
Today, Viva Lenoir pursues the same commitment to contemporary design. Le Nez du Café 60 aromas, published in 2025, was designed by Marge Design. For this new edition, the Paris-based design studio has chosen to divide the 60 aromas into three separate boxes, with the full set held in a light, portable case. With its explanatory booklet in the style of a travel guide, the easy-to-transport kit is reminiscent of plein art painting equipment used outside the studio.
