In India, flowers are sacred symbols and an essential part of daily life. “Malli Nadu” means “land of jasmine”, inspired by the paradise of perfume ingredients found in India. There’s jasmine sambac, cultivated in India since antiquity, with its radiant fruity/green sheen and animalic undertone. There’s tuberose, an opulent, powerful floral, along with davana, an aromatic plant unique to India with a profile that vibrates between apricot and herbaceous. Palmerosa oil supplies a geranium-like lift, while Indian vetiver and sandalwood deepens and softens the composition. Perfumer Ilias Ermenidis sought to translate the romance of India into this luminous scent, which he calls “a fragrance for lovers”
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a fragrance for close, animated moments rather than distant formality: a warm room, bare skin, and the soft movement of white flowers as the scent opens and settles. It projects a sensual, welcoming presence that feels intimate but never heavy.
How to wear
Best in mild to warm weather, Malli Nadu wears beautifully when applied with a light hand, as its floral heart and fruity lift can bloom quickly. Two to three sprays are enough to create a soft, radiant trail; on skin it stays smooth and creamy, while in humid air the jasmine and tuberose feel fuller and more voluptuous.
Who it’s for
For lovers of white florals that feel modern rather than powdery, with a natural brightness and a sensual edge. It suits those who enjoy jasmine, tuberose and soft woods, especially when they want floral richness balanced by freshness.
Release year
2024
The nose
Ilias Ermenidis is known for composing with clarity, texture and a polished modern sensuality, often balancing luminous florals with smooth woods and a clean, contemporary structure. His work tends to feel refined rather than ornate, with an emphasis on naturalistic radiance and elegant diffusion. For Malli Nadu, he translates the floral abundance of Tamil Nadu into a bright white-floral composition built around jasmine sambac and tuberose. The result is a fragrance that keeps its floral heart vivid and airy, while sandalwood and vetiver give it a soft, grounded finish.
Collaborators
Nissaba’s creative approach is central to the fragrance: the house developed Malli Nadu from exceptional raw materials native to Tamil Nadu, building the formula around the ingredients rather than around an abstract brief. The brand’s founders and creative team shaped that origin-led concept, while Ilias Ermenidis turned it into the finished composition.
Nissaba’s story
Nissaba builds fragrances from the identity of a specific place, using ingredients native to a single region to express its landscape, agriculture and cultural memory. The house also links perfumery with social impact, supporting ingredient-origin communities and sustainable cultivation through an origin-first model.
Malli Nadu’s concept
Malli Nadu was created as a tribute to Tamil Nadu, the “land of jasmine,” where flowers hold sacred and everyday significance. The fragrance was composed around raw materials from the region, especially jasmine sambac and tuberose, to evoke the romance, brightness and floral heritage of South India.
Extra info
The name Malli Nadu literally means “land of jasmine.” The fragrance is built around ingredients native to Tamil Nadu and is made with over 90% natural ingredients. Nissaba also highlights Indian vetiver as a return to its original homeland.
In India, flowers are sacred symbols and an essential part of daily life. “Malli Nadu” means “land of jasmine”, inspired by the paradise of perfume ingredients found in India. There’s jasmine sambac, cultivated in India since antiquity, with its radiant fruity/green sheen and animalic undertone. There’s tuberose, an opulent, powerful floral, along with davana, an aromatic plant unique to India with a profile that vibrates between apricot and herbaceous. Palmerosa oil supplies a geranium-like lift, while Indian vetiver and sandalwood deepens and softens the composition. Perfumer Ilias Ermenidis sought to translate the romance of India into this luminous scent, which he calls “a fragrance for lovers”
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a fragrance for close, animated moments rather than distant formality: a warm room, bare skin, and the soft movement of white flowers as the scent opens and settles. It projects a sensual, welcoming presence that feels intimate but never heavy.
How to wear
Best in mild to warm weather, Malli Nadu wears beautifully when applied with a light hand, as its floral heart and fruity lift can bloom quickly. Two to three sprays are enough to create a soft, radiant trail; on skin it stays smooth and creamy, while in humid air the jasmine and tuberose feel fuller and more voluptuous.
Who it’s for
For lovers of white florals that feel modern rather than powdery, with a natural brightness and a sensual edge. It suits those who enjoy jasmine, tuberose and soft woods, especially when they want floral richness balanced by freshness.
Release year
2024
The nose
Ilias Ermenidis is known for composing with clarity, texture and a polished modern sensuality, often balancing luminous florals with smooth woods and a clean, contemporary structure. His work tends to feel refined rather than ornate, with an emphasis on naturalistic radiance and elegant diffusion. For Malli Nadu, he translates the floral abundance of Tamil Nadu into a bright white-floral composition built around jasmine sambac and tuberose. The result is a fragrance that keeps its floral heart vivid and airy, while sandalwood and vetiver give it a soft, grounded finish.
Collaborators
Nissaba’s creative approach is central to the fragrance: the house developed Malli Nadu from exceptional raw materials native to Tamil Nadu, building the formula around the ingredients rather than around an abstract brief. The brand’s founders and creative team shaped that origin-led concept, while Ilias Ermenidis turned it into the finished composition.
Nissaba’s story
Nissaba builds fragrances from the identity of a specific place, using ingredients native to a single region to express its landscape, agriculture and cultural memory. The house also links perfumery with social impact, supporting ingredient-origin communities and sustainable cultivation through an origin-first model.
Malli Nadu’s concept
Malli Nadu was created as a tribute to Tamil Nadu, the “land of jasmine,” where flowers hold sacred and everyday significance. The fragrance was composed around raw materials from the region, especially jasmine sambac and tuberose, to evoke the romance, brightness and floral heritage of South India.
Extra info
The name Malli Nadu literally means “land of jasmine.” The fragrance is built around ingredients native to Tamil Nadu and is made with over 90% natural ingredients. Nissaba also highlights Indian vetiver as a return to its original homeland.