Essence Evaluation Workbook for Natural Botanical Perfumery Paperback – January 18, 2012

Absolutely fantastic forms for essence evaluation, accord building and perfume evaluations. I recommend photocopying and using in a binder. I would have appreciated an aromatic lexicon to help me get started with scent descriptors as well as perhaps a rudimentary listing of the essence families and typical perfume families. A simple list of typical top, middle, and base note aromatics would have been nice too. I like having this type of information close at hand while doing evaluations but I understand this is simply a workbook to accompany instruction.These forms are excellent tools for learning the systematic process of perfume creation and I recommend to anyone.

This is the review I left on Working The Bench: A Practical Guide to Natural Botanical Perfumery. It's the companion book to the Essence Evaluation Workbook, I felt it fitting to leave the review as a set for each on each one's page.First, let me just say there is some GREAT information in this book. Really and truly there is, and I'm appreciative of that.However, I was terribly disappointed to see that the text on each page is printed very, very small. Add to that the fact that all the text on each page is enclosed in a rectangular box centered on the page, and the total amount of text would only take up approximately 1/3 of each page if this was actually formatted like a proper print book. As such, the actual length of the book would easily be only approximately 1/3 of what is listed in the description (210 pages). Of course that would change somewhat if the text were actually a larger and more readable size as well.Even with the information that's here, I kind of feel like I've been ripped off. I was really expecting a nice, meaty book since it's listed at 210 pages... but that's just not the case. Had I realized this, I'd have never paid $32 for it. Well, I take that back. I probably would have, but if the book was formatted properly so that it's an easier read. I'd have at least known what I was getting and wouldn't feel like I do. I'd rather knowingly pay $32 for a 90 page book than to think I'm getting a 210 page book only to find out that the majority of each page is just white space.The same is true with the Essence Evaluation Workbook that's a companion to this book... there's some good info at the beginning and the end (it is formatted like I'd consider a typical print book, so there was no issue in that regard), but essentially the entire book is comprised of nothing but sheets to use in evaluating essences, creating accords, etc. Yes, I understand this is for convenience, but again, had I realized that 95% of the book was simply blank evaluation forms, I'd have never purchased it. Even when viewing the "Look Inside" feature one would believe the majority of this book is actually text, and there's nothing in the description to lead one to believe that the majority of it is comprised of repeats of the same forms over and over again. Maybe I just expected too much.I had high hopes for these two books as a companion set, but I kind of have a bad taste in my mouth simply because I feel a bit like I was ripped off. I respect Justine Crane's experience and appreciate very much that she took the time to write and publish this book in order to share her knowledge, but I honestly do wish she'd re-evaluate how it's formatted and remedy this issue.I really feel torn and kind of just wish I could return them both.

Great book to assist in methodically of developing of a perfume. Provides evaluation and notation pages which can be photocopied and used hundreds of times. Nice workbook, but best for beginners.