Opening Night

"Opening Night" opens with a fresh, powdery, oat milk iris. The velvet curtains of a theatre. I would have been tempted to call it a Masala Chai Latte or even a Kheer, yet it is entirely lactose-free and not gourmand at all. It also brings to mind Hong Kong milk tea, traditionally brewed with black tea and sweetened condensed milk infused with spices. But these are merely the steams rising from the infusion, as the cinnamon is the last to dance at the bottom of the cup. Wisps of Assam black tea linger in the air, dusted with cardamom and ginger. The scent of ballet tights and wooden floorboards, of the stage itself and the backstage wings. It is thoughtful and delicate. It also reminds me of the scent of traditional rice-straw tatami. An earthy iris, as dark as it is luminous, as warm as it is cool, appearing here and there in a play of chiaroscuro. Ballerinas and their Repetto slippers. A living composition whose unmistakable refinement bears the Floraïku signature, with malty, smoky nuances, gently roasted like toasted rice. Yet another love story between East and West, though it's difficult to assign it a nationality. British? French? Indian? Japanese? Iris remains at the heart of this stunning composition, although as it dries down, it gradually gives way to the delicate imprint of an introvert rounded vanilla, woven subtly into the background. Exceptionnal.

The iris and cardamom work really well. Another great release from the house.