As commercial hand sanitizers dry in the U.S. and Europe, Turks are turning to a traditional aromatic scent that has taken on a whole new relevance in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic: kolonya.
Meaning “Cologne”, kolonya has been a precious symbol of Turkish hospitality and health since the Ottoman Empire, and is often described as the national scent of Turkey. Traditionally, this scented aroma based on fig, jasmine, rose or citrus flowers is sprinkled on the hands of customers when they enter homes, hotels and hospitals; when they finish their meals at the restaurant; or as they gather for religious services. But unlike other natural scents, the high alcohol content of this ethanol-based concoction can kill over 80% of germs and act as an effective hand sanitizer.
So when the Turkish health minister defended Kolonya’s ability to fight the coronavirus on March 11, it not only inspired a wave of national media attention touting Cologne’s anti-Covid-19 powers, but also also caused queues spanning almost 100 meters to quickly form with chemists. and stores across Turkey. In fact, since the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Turkey in mid-March, some of the country’s major kolonya producers have reported that their sales have grown at least fivefold.
Since the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Turkey in mid-March, sales of kolonya have at least quintupled
“Kolonya is effective in protecting against coronaviruses because it contains at least 60% alcohol, it breaks down the hard shell of the virus,” said Dr. Hatira Topakli, a family doctor in Istanbul who explained that most kolonya products contain 80% alcohol. Topaklı also notes that commercial disinfectants are not as common in Turkey as they are in other countries. “[Kolonya is] more effective because it is something that many people already have and are part of their daily routines. They do not need to learn a new way to protect themselves from this virus. “
To meet the growing demand for perfume, on March 13, the Turkish government no longer requires ethanol in gasoline to stimulate the production of kolonya and other household disinfectants, especially to fight coronaviruses.
According to Kerim Müderrisoğlu, CEO of Rebul Holding, which owns Atelier Rebul – one of the oldest and most famous brands of kolonya in Turkey – the production of kolonya is quite simple. First, pure ethanol is made from fermented barley, grapes, molasses or potatoes and is mixed with distilled water. Then a natural fragrance like magnolia, lemon or rosemary is added, and it is left to stand for a three-week ripening period before being bottled.
As many of us apply kolonya alone while self-quarantining, it evokes a nostalgic feeling of closeness and caring for each other
As a deeply ingrained custom of hospitality and a symbol of good health, kolonya provides more than a practical disinfectant – it is a source of comfort for many of my Turkish friends here at a time of uncertainty. For the past year and a half that I have lived in Istanbul, I have had my hands sprayed in countless restaurants, shops and houses. And now, even if many of us apply kolonya alone while self-quarantining, it evokes a nostalgic feeling of closeness and caring for each other.
Long before the kolonya, there was rose water. From the 9th century, cultures on the Arabian Peninsula used this scent infused with rose petals for aromatic, culinary, beauty, religious, and medicinal purposes, the Persians, Egyptians, and Ottomans also using it to cleanse themselves. and welcome the guests. In the 19th century, cologne (a naturally scented perfume better known today as “Cologne”) made its way along trade routes from Cologne, Germany, to the Ottoman Empire. When Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamit II first met him, he adapted it by mixing the tradition of rose water with the novelty of foreign alcohol-based perfumes to create kolonya.
In terms of ingredients, there is not much difference between cologne and Turkish kolonya. Both use roughly the same ethanol / essential oil ratio and often incorporate citrus oils such as orange and lemon. But what makes kolonya so unique is the way it is used, both culturally and practically.
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At the beginning of the 20th century, the popularity of kolonya skyrocketed, thanks to pioneering chemists. In Istanbul, a young French chemist by the name of Jean Cesar Reboul opened one of the first pharmacies in Turkey in 1895, and with his apprentice, Kemal Müderrisoğlu (Kerim’s grandfather), they created what remains the one of the most emblematic kolonyadistillers of Turkey at Atelier Rebul. Today, Atelier Rebul still sells its signature Rebul Lavanda, which was originally made from lavender grown in Reboul’s garden, and Kerim estimates that their sales of kolonya have increased eightfold since the start of the pandemic. .
It is an antiseptic with the added benefit of a beauty scent
“It is an antiseptic with the added benefit of a beauty scent,” said Kerim.
Meanwhile, on the Aegean coast of the city of Izmir, the youngest chemist in the Ottoman Empire, Süleyman Ferit Bey, traveled to Grasse, France, in the 1920s to learn French manufacturing techniques. of perfumes, and came back to create another famous kolonya called the drop of gold, which became a symbol of Izmir. At the same time, in Ankara, a businessman by the name of Eyüp Sabri Tuncer concocted a kolonya with lemons from the coastal town of Çeşme, which has become one of the most popular kolonyas today. recognizable from Turkey. His eponymous brand is still one of the main producers in the country.
According to Elizabet Kurumlu, a tourist guide based in Istanbul, small towns have started to adopt kolonya and modify it with their own ingredients and soils: Isparta has produced sweet kolonya flavored with rose; communities near the Black Sea produce tobacco kolonya; and elsewhere, the kolonya was made of fig flower, pistachio, jasmine and magnolia.
Similar to the number of cellars that bear the owner’s name, kolonya has also taken on an air of family prestige, with the most upscale brands bearing the names of the founders. According to Kurumlu, the family kolonya brand has become a source of pride and a status symbol. To reflect this, kolonya bottles were often custom designed in ornate shapes in an Istanbul glassworks. Today, some decorative bottles have become collectibles, rare bottles from the Ottoman era selling for up to 5,000 Turkish pounds (around £ 600) at auction. In Istanbul, a coveted collection of these bottles is exhibited through the collection and archives of Orlando Carlo Calumeno at Galeri Birzamanlar.
In the middle of the 20th century, kolonya was produced on an industrial scale to make it accessible and affordable for the masses. Today, it is found in almost all Turkish homes.
“Having kolonya in your home has become as common as having food in the refrigerator. Usually people keep a bottle in the bedroom, bathroom and living room, so it’s never out of reach, “said Kurumlu. “It has also become an essential tool for teaching hospitality at a young age. When I was a child, it was my duty to greet the guest and make sure he had his three usual Turkish things: kolonya, candy and cigarettes. “
Kolonya has always been a staple of large gatherings, and it is common during religious festivals such as Ramadan. “Typically [when] many people are gathering from all over, people are using kolonya as a welcome gift, but also as a way to keep everyone healthy, “said Dr. Topaklı. “Caring for the health of your guests is a form of hospitality.”
Tourists in Turkey likely encountered a bottle of kolonya in their hotel, in the bathrooms of an upscale restaurant, or offered it at the end of a long bus ride.
In addition to its hygienic qualities, kolonya also has other health benefits. Sprinkling a few drops on a lump of sugar would aid digestion and rubbing it on your temples could relieve headaches. “Whenever we visit patients in the hospital, we bring them kolonya or a bag of oranges,” said Kurumlu.
You won’t find much kolonya outside of Turkey, but maybe that will change soon
Even before the coronavirus, the kolonya industry was still growing. Traditionally, the fragrance has been sold in pharmacies, grocery stores, and stores, but in the past decade, major Turkish brands have started to open their own brick and mortar shops. Atelier Rebul opened its first in 2013 and now has 22 stores across Turkey. They also started to develop internationally, distributing in Europe, the Middle East and in partnership with a Japanese pharmaceutical company last year. According to Kerim, they plan to open a new factory to meet the increased demand caused by Covid-19.
“You will hardly find kolonya outside of Turkey,” said Kerim. “But maybe that will change soon.”
Beyond the fashionable boutiques, the kolonya is still widely distributed throughout Turkey. But with the supply chain being tight during this period of high demand, some people are turning to a new way to ensure a stable personal inventory. Kurumlu explains that the base of Kolonya, ethanol, is also an ingredient for making traditional homemade cherry liqueur, so many families have a bottle on hand.
“In the wake of the coronavirus, some people use it to make their own kolonya instead of their usual cherry liqueur,” she said. “Everyone calls and asks,” Do you have enough kolonya at home? “”
Like almost 16 million other people in Istanbul, my life is currently confined to my apartment. With a home stay order in place and increased restrictions deployed almost daily in Turkey, I spend my days browsing memories beyond these walls. It seems to me that in this new reality, one of the most powerful qualities of kolonya is not only the ability to disinfect, but to transport: with each fragrance comes a living memory. Lavender kolonya brings me back to visit the lavender fields of Isparta with close friends last summer. I think of group dinners at the end of the evening meyhane taverns on the Bosphorus.
I may be a stranger here, but kolonya quickly became part of my daily, social ritual. And now, each time I use it – which is several times a day – its ability to inspire a memory, an emotion or a daydream soothes my anxiety induced by isolation and reminds me that we are all going to make new memories soon .
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