Orris Forest

What an absolutely essential addition to any orris/iris collection this scent is. OMG this is simply amazing -- the fig leaf, pairing with the orris creates a bubblegum accord and it just WORKS. I really am so glad I took a chance with this label, which flies under the radar, I must say. It really should be on a lot more people's 'list', I feel. Many folks in the whole indie-artisanal sphere tread a well-worn path, with the same brands they tick off their list, and whilst that in itself warrants some form of investigation (another time), I'm shocked this label doesn't get the love others get -- it deserves to be on more hipster-esque it-boy lists, I feel. This is a masterpiece -- once it runs out, I'm going to get another. I love this!

OMG instant love. Instantly it hit me right in the feels and I LOVED it from the first second. The orris is delicious, juicy and very appealing. Paired with the fig leaf, well, I was somewhat dubious, but I'm glad I was wrong in my apprehensions, mostly because the 2 together just WORK. It just works, that's all I can say, really... The violet leaf adds crispness and the woods in the base add depth, and if I was a betting gentleman, I would say this is one I most likely will look to purchase. Hell yes.

There's a bitter pop (galbanum?) at the beginning that initially put me off, but quickly following that is a pleasant spring-summer scent. It recalls sitting at the edge of a slow moving stream in the shade with a slight breeze bearing floral scents tempered by crushed leaves and ferns. On me the fruit notes blend so well I didn't notice them through first few wearings.This is an easy and comfortable scent to wear, subtle and shifting; easily worn by men or women. If you're learning about perfumes, it's really fun to go to his blog on how he imagines the scent, and what notes he uses and why. Lovely wearable perfumes with bonus note and creative process education for free. The official notes include apricot, plum, neroli, petitgrain, orange blossom absolute, rose otto absolute, narcissus absolute, jasmine grandiflorum absolute, galbanum, orris butter, benzoin, leather and musk

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike this scent, but something missed the mark for me here. It smells good, yes, but it doesn't really come across as "outdoorsy" in the way I had hoped. I find it to be quite sweet, which in combination with the powdery orris, seems to counteract any freshness the green notes might bring to the table. It's a little bit stuffy. To me it just doesn't live up to the picture painted by the description. It does smell nice, though, and it's wearable, so my issue seems to be more with the branding than anything else.

Smells like a combination of tequila and new shoes on the first day of grade school. I don't know how I feel about that.