A PODCAST FROM IMMORTAL PERFUMES
The Scent
Archive
Curious histories, bottled
EP 01 - MARCH 21, 2026
PIKAKE AND THE PRINCESS
The fragrant world of Princess Ka’iulani
Princess Kaʻiulani loved pikake — the jasmine-like flower whose very name is tangled up in her story. We follow a scent from the gardens of Ainahau to the perfume counters of Paris, and ask what it means to grieve a kingdom through flowers.
YOUR HOST
JT Siems
PERFUME HISTORIAN · EDUCATOR · WRITER
JT Siems is the founder of Immortal Perfumes, a Seattle-based literary micro-perfumery. Obsessed with history, she is a perfume historian, educator, writer, and international award-winning perfumer.
A VERY VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS
The festivities that grew into modern day Christmas have spanned millennia. But most of the traditions we recognize today began under the reign of Queen Victoria. Take a listen for the history of Christmas cards, kissing balls, Christmas trees, and presents. Check out the links below for some creepy Victorian cards. Happy holidays! See you in 2021!
FAN FAV: THE PAGANS, OLIVER CROMWELL, & CHARLES DICKENS
Pssst…it turns out Christmas is a super pagan holiday. On today’s episode we’re doing a brief overview of the origins of Christmas and how Charles Dickens brought the holiday back after Oliver Cromwell had Christmas canceled. For all those who think there’s a war on Christmas…just be glad Oliver Cromwell’s not still around.
CHARLES DICKENS, EDGAR ALLAN POE, & GRIP THE RAVEN
Edgar Allan Poe’s masterpiece, The Raven, was inspired not by any ordinary raven, not by a harbinger of doom, it was a talking pet raven named Grip owned by none other than Charles Dickens. Tune in for the story of Grip…then go visit the real Grip who is still on display at the Free Library of Philadelphia!
EDGAR ALLAN POE: ATMOSPHERE OF SORROW
October is spOoOoky month and OF COURSE Edgar Allan Poe died in October. This month on Storical, tune in every week for a new episode on the life and writings of Poe. Today, we’re going over his full life story. Check back for episodes on Grip the raven, the mysterious death of Poe, and some of the inspirations for his tales of terror.
STORICAL FOOTNOTES: MADAME TUSSAUD'S CHAMBER OF HORRORS
After you visited the museum, if you were brave enough and could afford the extra six pence admission, Madame Tussaud would allow you entry to her infamous Chamber of Horrors. An early version of The Chamber was created in the late 1700s and was the most popular exhibit until its demise in 2016. Today we’re looking at the gory appeal of Madame Tussaud’s Chamber of Horrors.
GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS PAST:
Pssst…it turns out Christmas is a super pagan holiday. On today’s episode we’re doing a brief overview of the origins of Christmas and how Charles Dickens brought the holiday back after Oliver Cromwell had Christmas canceled. For all those who think there’s a war on Christmas…just be glad Oliver Cromwell’s not still around.
STORICAL FOOTNOTES:
Edgar Allan Poe’s masterpiece, The Raven, was inspired not by any ordinary raven, not by a harbinger of doom, it was a talking pet raven named Grip owned by none other than Charles Dickens. Tune in for the story of Grip…then go visit the real Grip who is still on display at the Free Library of Philadelphia!
CHARLES DICKENS: A DICKENS OF A TALE
‘Tis the holiday season which means that the roughly 9 billion adaptations of A Christmas Carol are on television playing in a continuous loop. But who was the man behind the season’s greatest ghost story? Charles Dickens is considered the greatest English writer, behind Shakespeare, to have ever lived. Tune in to learn about his time in the workhouse, how he influenced Edgar Allan Poe, and how his secret double life was almost his undoing.