Almond

Despite its innocent name, 1907 Almond reveals itself as a decidedly grown-up affair—a spiced, resinous oriental that barely acknowledges the almond in its title. The opening bristles with mastic's piney sharpness and petitgrain's bitter greenness, whilst ylang-ylang adds its banana-cream richness to offset what could otherwise feel astringent. This is no marzipan fantasy; instead, the composition leans heavily into its spice cabinet, with nutmeg providing warmth against an unusually verdant heart where vetiver and cedar create an almost masculine framework for the florals to cling to. The jasmine and rose feel muffled, wrapped in heliotrope's powdery embrace and mimosa's dusting of pollen, as though viewed through gauze. What makes this compelling is the tension between its formal, vintage-feeling floral structure and the smoky, almost incense-like character that pervades everything—that resinous accord manifesting as something between church and apothecary. The Malayan patchouli in the base isn't the fruitiness of modern iterations but rather the camphoraceous, slightly medicinal quality that defined pre-reformulation orientals. Mysore sandalwood adds its creamy, almost buttery texture, whilst oakmoss provides earthiness that feels increasingly rare in contemporary perfumery. This is for those who appreciate the weightier style of niche fragrance from the early 2000s, when 'unisex' often meant 'challenging'. Wear it when you want presence without prettiness, depth without easy charm.