Queen of Georgia by Prince Matchabelli (1926)

Launched in 1926, Queen of Georgia by Prince Matchabelli is a perfume steeped in both personal heritage and ancient legend. The name was chosen to honor Queen Tamar, the revered monarch who ruled Georgia in the 12th century during what is now called the Georgian Golden Age. Known for her extraordinary intellect, beauty, and political acumen, Queen Tamar’s reign ushered in a cultural renaissance—a time when poetry, art, and architecture flourished under her wise and confident rule. For Prince Georges Matchabelli, himself a Georgian nobleman and former diplomat, creating a fragrance in her honor was more than symbolic—it was a tribute to the very spirit of his homeland and to a queen whose leg,acy embodied the ideal of feminine strength and sovereign elegance.

The name Queen of Georgia carries a regal, almost mythic resonance. The title evokes a majestic figure—draped in silk and gold, standing at the crossroads of East and West. The word "queen" suggests power and poise, while "Georgia" conjures a place of mountains, monasteries, and ancient traditions—a land shaped by both Orthodox spirituality and Silk Road intrigue. Emotionally, the name calls forth reverence, pride, and a sense of timeless allure. It stirs images of a woman not only adored for her beauty but respected for her wisdom—an inspiration for modern women seeking both elegance and empowerment.

The late 1920s, when this perfume debuted, was a period of cultural energy and change. It was the tail end of the Roaring Twenties, a decade defined by liberation, glamour, and a fascination with the exotic. Women were cutting their hair, shortening their skirts, and redefining femininity on their own terms. In perfumery, this era gave rise to bold innovations—most notably the use of aldehydes, which added a sparkling, abstract quality to floral compositions, as famously seen in Chanel No. 5. At the same time, oriental perfumes—rich with resins, spices, and incense—were gaining popularity, reflecting a fascination with faraway lands and ancient mysticism.

Queen of Georgia stands at the confluence of these two trends. Classified as an aldehydic oriental fragrance with a touch of incense, it offered something rare and refined. The aldehydes in the top notes would have given the scent a brilliant opening—effervescent and luminous—suggesting the bright intellect and commanding presence of its namesake. As the scent developed, the oriental character would emerge, likely through a tapestry of resins, florals, and warm woods, grounded by a hint of sacred incense—frankincense or myrrh—echoing the spiritual depth and historical richness of medieval Georgia.

For the women of 1926, Queen of Georgia would have felt aspirational—more than just a beautiful perfume, it was a wearable story. It spoke of royalty, history, and heritage. It invited the modern woman to embody both sensuality and strength, just as Queen Tamar had centuries earlier. At a time when perfumery was beginning to explore abstraction and fantasy, this fragrance rooted its elegance in legend and lineage.

In the broader context of the fragrance market, Queen of Georgia was both on-trend and quietly distinctive. It embraced the aldehydic sophistication that was then in vogue, but added a historical and spiritual depth through its oriental-influenced base and unique inspiration. It was not simply a fashionable fragrance—it was a fragrant coronation, inviting each wearer to carry herself with regal grace, as though crowned by scent.

c1929 ad

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? Queen of Georgia by Prince Matchabelli is classified as an aldehydic oriental fragrance for women with a touch of incense.

• Top notes: aldehyde C-10, aldehyde C-11, Calabrian bergamot , Paraguayan petitgrain, nerol, Provencal lavender
• Middle notes: Grasse jasmine absolute, Bulgarian rose otto, heliotropin, Madagascar ylang ylang oil, Florentine orris butter, Ceylon cinnamon leaf, Jamaican clove bud oil, South American tolu balsam, Siam benzoin, Sumatran styrax, Maltese labdanum
• Base notes: Venezuelan tonka bean, coumarin, Spanish cistus labdanum, Abyssinian civet tincture, Tyrolean oakmoss, Canadian castoreum tincture, Indonesian patchouli, Mysore sandalwood, Omani frankincense, Sudanese myrrh, Yemeni opoponax, Levantine storax, ambergris, Bourbon vanilla, vanillin, Tibetan musk tincture, musk ketone

Scent Profile:

To experience Queen of Georgia by Prince Matchabelli is to be transported into an olfactory tapestry woven with regal finesse and ancestral memory. From the first breath to its final lingering trace, this aldehydic oriental fragrance unfolds like a crown of scent—glimmering, sumptuous, and sacred. Every ingredient is a brushstroke in a portrait of elegance, mystery, and strength, evoking the legacy of Queen Tamar of 12th-century Georgia: a sovereign whose intellect and beauty left an empire blooming in her wake.

The opening sparkles with the dazzling interplay of aldehydes—aldehyde C-10 (decanal) and aldehyde C-11 (undecylenic aldehyde)—both hallmark molecules of 1920s perfumery. C-10 lends a crisp, lemony brightness, like polished silver under sunlight, while C-11 adds a waxy, creamy-green lift—suggesting the cool sheen of silk or the smoothness of a newly lit candle. These aldehydes don’t simply brighten the top; they elevate the entire composition with a silvery, modern elegance.

Dancing alongside them is Calabrian bergamot, a citrus note plucked from the sun-soaked groves of southern Italy. Unlike ordinary citrus oils, Calabrian bergamot is prized for its complexity—sweet and tart, with floral and green undertones that glide effortlessly into the heart. Paraguayan petitgrain, extracted from the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree, introduces a woody-green sharpness—cool and slightly metallic, it tempers the aldehydic shimmer with botanical clarity. Nerol, soft and floral, brings a rose-like nuance with citrusy brightness, bridging the citrus top and floral heart with sheer elegance. And then comes Provençal lavender, from the fragrant hills of southern France—herbaceous yet powdery, its presence adds a classic sophistication and a whisper of earthiness beneath the aldehydic glow.

As the top notes settle, the perfume blooms into a richly layered floral heart. Grasse jasmine absolute, gathered from one of perfumery’s most prestigious regions, is honeyed and full-bodied—intensely floral, slightly animalic, its breath is warm against the skin. Paired with Bulgarian rose otto, distilled from the famous Valley of Roses, the heart becomes rich and velvety—peppery, green, and profoundly romantic. Madagascar ylang ylang oil softens the blend with creamy, almost fruity tropical warmth, while heliotropin adds a delicate veil of almond-powder sweetness, enhancing the floral bouquet with a light, vanillic tenderness.

Florentine orris butter, derived from aged iris rhizomes, adds an aristocratic powderiness—earthy, buttery, and faintly violet. This rare material is one of the most costly and prized in perfumery, and here it provides an elegant bridge from floral to spice. The heart deepens with Ceylon cinnamon leaf, dry and green-spicy, and Jamaican clove bud oil, which contributes a pungent, almost medicinal heat. These spices ground the florals and hint at the incense to come. South American tolu balsam, Siam benzoin, and Sumatran styrax create a resinous triad—sweet, warm, and softly leathery, as if the florals are being wrapped in golden silk. Maltese labdanum, drawn from Mediterranean shrubs, lends a smoky, ambery roundness—its scent like sun-warmed resin clinging to ancient stone.

Then, the base emerges—a royal procession of some of the finest and most sensual materials in perfumery. Venezuelan tonka bean and its synthetic twin, coumarin, give a soft, hay-like warmth, rounded by the almond-vanilla glow of Bourbon vanilla and vanillin. Spanish cistus labdanum deepens the ambery profile with leathery, balsamic richness. From there, a cast of powerful animalics enters: Abyssinian civet tincture, musky and creamy; Canadian castoreum, leathery and dark; and Tibetan musk tincture, dry and sensual—all balanced by musk ketone, one of the earliest synthetic musks, powdery and clean, which helps soften and refine the animalic edge.

The green, forested character of Tyrolean oakmoss and Indonesian patchouli gives the drydown a rich, earthy backbone—mossy, slightly bitter, and grounding. These are matched with Mysore sandalwood, smooth and sacred, adding a creamy, woody elegance. And finally, the sacred resins arrive in full—Omani frankincense, sharp and citrusy; Sudanese myrrh, bittersweet and resinous; Yemeni opoponax, balsamic and soft; and Levantine storax, sweet and smoky, reminiscent of burning incense in an ancient chapel. Ambergris, the rare oceanic treasure, adds a salty, musky radiance that seems to hover just above the skin, tying every element together with weightless warmth.

In Queen of Georgia, every note is composed with reverence. It is a fragrance that carries the grandeur of ancient monarchies and the modern elegance of 1920s perfumery. It smells like silk brocade and glowing embers, like the polished corridors of a royal palace, or the lingering incense of a candlelit cathedral. It is, in every sense, a perfume worthy of a queen.

Harper's Bazaar, 1932:

"Exquisite Toilet Soaps — Princess Norina, Ave Maria, Duchess of York, Queen of Georgia— 3 cakes $1.50."

Drug & Cosmetic Industry, 1934:

"A vivid red heart shaped box has been chosen by Prince Matchabelli as a very suitable and appropriate Valentine package for his small crown bottles of perfumes. Duchess of York, Ave Maria, Princess Norina, and Queen of Georgia."

Stage, 1935:

"Princess Matchabelli has just brought out a new perfume named in honor of what is probably one of her husband's ancestors — the Queen of Georgia. "

 

Fate of the Fragrance:

Launched in 1928, Queen of Georgia by Prince Matchabelli was conceived as a tribute to the legendary Queen Tamar of Georgia, a monarch whose 12th-century reign ushered in a cultural golden age in the Caucasus. The fragrance was part of a suite of early Matchabelli creations that drew upon personal and historical inspiration, linking perfume not only to luxury but also to memory, heritage, and symbolism. Queen of Georgia stood out as one of the house’s more majestic offerings—a fragrance that evoked regality through an aldehydic glow softened by incense, resins, and noble florals.

While the exact date of its discontinuation remains unknown, records show that Queen of Georgia was still available in 1937, nearly a decade after its introduction. This sustained presence suggests that the perfume resonated with a certain audience—likely those who favored rich, enveloping oriental compositions over the lighter, brisker scents that began to rise in popularity in the late 1930s. The fragrance's longevity on the market reflects its distinctive profile: refined, evocative, and rooted in both romanticism and tradition. It likely faded from counters sometime in the 1940s, as wartime restrictions and changing tastes began to shift the direction of commercial perfumery. Yet Queen of Georgia remains one of Prince Matchabelli’s most elegant and historically grounded creations—a fragrant homage to feminine power and enduring legacy.