Begin with the gentle, leafy freshness of Fig-Tea (Nicolai Parfumeur-Createur), and catch all of its happy flashes: sunlit orange, delicate jasmine petals, astringent and dry yerba maté tea, and the lightest touch of wood smoke. Altogether these notes assemble to create an impression of fig - leaves and fruit - Fig-Tea is a refreshing salve.
Osmanthus Interdite (Parfum d’Empire) is inspired by precious osmanthus flower, whose scent refuses to be divided between floral, fruity and animalic facets, worked with a green tea accord. Concentrated yet weightless, temptingly mouthwatering and luminous, it’s balanced by a stemmy, slightly tannic bitterness, like crushing sticky petals and tea leaves between forefinger and thumb.
Tea Service by Chasing Scents is a marvel, utilising an oolong tea extract made in house from loose tea leaf. The process requires delicate control of extraction conditions and cycles in a Soxhlet apparatus to collect an aromatic concentrate - rarely found in mainstream perfume. Memories of yum cha, steaming thermoses, and good company. An excellent homage to jasmine-scented tea.
Drawing these ideas together, Above The Waves by Etat Libre d’Orange begins with a burst of bergamot, redolent of earl grey, perhaps even sliding into a milky oolong (Jin Xuan). A blend of green and black teas, its finish is endless: fresh and musky, with a fine woody frame. Decidedly modern in profile, and so very wearable.
Rain Tea by Chasing Scents is a gentle tisane of springtime buds and blooms, sweetened with honey. A warm scent to coat and calm the wearer, leaving a delicate atmospheric trail. Rain Tea softly scintillates tones of yellow and gold. The scent of pollen caught in honey, Rain Tea is a memory of warmth in the cold, like rays of light through the rain, or our favourite woollen sweater. Wattle lends a naturalistic, springtime feeling, reiterating the golden colours of the sun and this precious elixir.
Fougere Bengale (Parfum d’Empire) is here the emblematic black tea scent, stirring strong sensations that carries us off to India and the tea plantations of Assam. A prominent black tea note and warm gingerbread notes blend with tobacco, its tawny aroma is sweetened with hay, tonka bean, and lavender, finishing with patchouli and vanilla. The scent is heated and caramelised, spicy and melting.
