Dead Leaves, Black Tea, and Bergamot

[Jenjin]

No other description provided. 

[ghoulnextdoor]

The earthy, euphoric scent of autumn rises from a carpet of fallen leaves, their colors a blanket of umber and gold spread beneath rusted wrought-iron gates. Wisps of aromatic steam curl from an abandoned mug on a weathered stone bench, mingling with the garden's fading sighs. At twilight, a crisp breeze rattles the trees, carrying a jolly, vegetal brightness that disperses the melancholy haze like a peal of laughter at an unexpectedly inappropriate joke! A moment, a reflective pause between seasons, rich with the comforting warmth of autumn and the lingering mischief of the departing summer, the last chirp of a cricket giving way to the first croak of an autumn toad.

[gentle-twig]

In the bottle: Sharp, bright, and green. The green note is crisp, not ragged or weedy. The overall effect is like a refined classic cologne—not aquatic or soapy, but clean, fresh and invigorating.

 

Wet on skin: Bright citrus with a dry, crisp dead leaf accord. Other dead leaf scents have smelled like lettuce or green pepper to me, but this falls more comfortably into a vintage perfume mode—galbanum? Indeed, a somehow very classic chord is struck by the yellow gleam and green snap of the opening. Unfortunately, this classic-for-a-reason opening is briefly and slightly marred by an ozonic note (I have also seen others say this of some of the dead leaf scents). The ozone surprised me, but if you keep the tea fantasy in mind it does paint a steamy, liquid picture. Luckily, bergamot is by far the star and I keep coming back for more. 

 

Dry on skin: A wonderful bittersweet tea note emerges, a deep and rich assam, and the effect is suddenly of sitting in the shade on a bright fall day looking out onto the sunlit world. I was wondering how this was ever going to go autumnal, but it has. Far in the background, the dead leaves crinkle and crunch, and the citrus still twinkles. This is an interesting composition for the fact of the tea note being so prominent when it is, in a way, the most subtle note of the bunch. Even as it dominates the scent it feels like the gentlest whisper. I suppose that’s what gives the impression of “looking out” to me. The foreground is occupied but so smoothly, darkly transparent, allowing us to see the bright background  gleaming merrily away into the distance. Eventually, the brightness dissipates leaving a dark, slightly green fragrance lingering for hours. How many hours? I’m unsure because I have not been able to resist reapplication. 

 

I would especially recommend this to fans of chypres. It shares their the sense of expansiveness produced by the contrast between bright top and earthy base notes. But there is no moss here, and the dark tea is a much smoother alternative. Overall this is a very cheerful, breezy, blend. Comforting without necessarily feeling “cozy.” This really strikes a new note for me as far as the lab goes and I’m pretty thrilled. 

[samanare]

The black tea noticeably dominates on me. The DL note is clearly present, but sits in the background. And I can barely pick out the bergamot on its own, it mostly supports the black tea note. The tea note here is very crisp, almost sharp, and has noticeable lemon undertones, especially with the bergamot. It's pretty strong, almost reminding me of bergamot tea flavoring. Overall, ends up being an especially crisp, black tea dominated duo with dead leaves.