Lithuania creates national perfume

VILNIUS -- Lithuanian perfume makers have launched a "national scent" that is causing a stir in the world media, causing people around the world to wonder what their own national scent might entail.

Dainius Rutkauskas and two other friends are marketing Lietuvos Kvapas("Lithuanian Scent") as a way for Lithuanians abroad to remember their homeland.

"Most people can recall the scent of their childhood, homeland, heroic adventures or first love. Scents can remind us of the countries we have visited, the people we have met and the experiences we have had," the creaters of the scent said.

"When creating the Scent of Lithuania, our goal was not only to impersonate the fragrances of the country, but also to tell a story about its cities and villages, its nature, ancient traditions and cultural heritage, the character and the achievements of its people: everything what we are justly proud of and respected for."

The smell includes bergamot, wild berries, amber, local flowers, ginger, grapefruit, even "tree moss" and "tree smoke".

The bottles are being distributed to ambassadors, foreign businessmen, and troops stationed in Afghanistan. They are sold for around $40 per bottle, candles also available for around $10.