D600

The Madagascan pepper arrives first, not as a sneeze-inducing blast but as a dry, aromatic prickle that immediately tempers the citrus. Bergamot and grapefruit peek through in flashes rather than flooding the composition, their brightness filtered through a gauze of spice. Within minutes, cardamom's green, eucalyptus-like facets begin weaving through, adding complexity to what could have been a straightforward spicy citrus opening.

Here, the iris asserts itself fully, bringing its signature powdery-rooty character that smells faintly of concrete dust and expensive cosmetics in equal measure. The jasmine absolute adds an indolic warmth without dominating, its waxy petals providing just enough floralcy to soften the iris's austerity. Meanwhile, vanilla absolute begins its slow creep from below, rounding edges and introducing the first hints of sweetness—creamy rather than sugary, balsamic rather than edible.

What remains is a vanillic woods accord with a persistent powdery veil, the iris and vanilla now fully intertwined in a skin-like intimacy. The vetiver and cedar provide just enough aromatic woodiness to prevent the base from becoming too plush, maintaining a refined dryness even as the Bourbon vanilla blooms. It's the olfactory equivalent of cashmere—soft, expensive, and utterly unobtrusive.