Amouage Honour— In Puccini’s famous 19th Century opera, Madame Butterfly is a young Japanese geisha who marries an American naval officer. He deserts her shortly after their wedding, but for three years, she waits for his return, raising their son. When his ship sails into the harbour, she’s wildly excited, but when he arrives with his new American wife to collect their child, she takes her own life. From luxury Oman perfume brand, Amouage Honour is an Oriental floral as beautiful as the opera it’s based on, with tuberose for danger, jasmine representing attachment, gardenia to symbolise secret love, lily of the valley for purity and white carnation meaning innocence. This combination of white flowers is given a dark twist, with base notes of frankincense, amber, and opoponax heralding Madame Butterfly’s untimely end. Available at WORLD
Map of the Heart – Pink Heart V.6—Australian perfume house Map of the Heart is undertaking nothing less than an attempt to describe the heart’s characteristics in a series of beautiful fragrances. There are light and dark scents, careless and intense ones, and the sixth in the series is the heart at its most ecstatic. A “narcotic floral”, notes of shiso leaf, neroli and basil open into narcissus, jasmine, iris and broom, before settling down to notes of sumac, tobacco, citrus and Australian Sandalwood. A unisex style that’s both sweet and sexy, it’s housed in a distinctive, anatomically-correct heart shaped bottle that would make it a gift full of meaning. Available at WORLD
Van Cleef & Arpels Rose Rouge—The “Queen of Flowers”, the rose has inspired poets, artists and perfumers alike with its immemorial scent. So, how do you make a rose perfume new? Van Cleef & Arpels has attempted to craft a rose from scratch, approaching the task like a botanist aiming to create a new breed. Its sensual heart is composed of Turkish Rose essence and its base is built, surprisingly, from Cocoa Absolute, intermingling with precious woods, patchouli and vetiver. A mix of old and modern, you could say it symbolises both constancy and a new life together. vancleefarpels.com, available at Smith & Caughey’s
Boucheron Collection Santal de Kandy— Maison Boucheron is part of French history, selling luxury goods to well-heeled Parisians from the Palais Royal and then Place Vendôme, for the last 160 years. Its latest fragrance collection takes inspiration from the house’s gem hunters, who would scour the world for highly prized stones to make its fine jewellery. Santal de Kandy pays homage to the Sri Lankan city which captivated the hunters with its colourful character and the riches of its mountains and forests. It contrasts the biting warmth of black pepper with the spicy freshness of cardamom and bergamot, while resinous swirls of Styrax are enhanced with elegant floral notes — delicate jasmine, powdery violet. Base notes of sandalwood, patchouli and cedar give this hypnotic fragrance warmth, and a sense of sanctity man. boucheron.com, available at Smith & Caughey’s
Words—Sarah Simpson | Illustrations—Anieszka Banks
