D.S. & Durga
D.S. & Durga
104 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The top notes strike immediately and with purpose—Russian coriander's peppery seed character mingles with juniper's sharp, almost piney resinousness, whilst lime zest adds a bright citrus snap that feels more tart than sweet. The Moroccan rosemary enters not as a delicate herb but as a woody-green anchor, grounding what might otherwise feel merely fresh.
As the composition settles into its middle hours, clary sage assumes command, imparting a dry, slightly tobacco-tinged quality that deepens the fragrance's green core. Clove and geranium create a spicy-peppery warmth that oscillates between comforting and slightly aggressive, whilst lavender absolute prevents any slide into pure florality, instead contributing a cooling, almost mentholated undertone.
What remains is predominantly the base's magnolia and mace—a soft, vaguely powdery warmth that plays against lingering traces of sage and geranium. The musk provides a skin-scent intimacy, though notably this fragrance's weak longevity means the dry down fades to a whisper rather than a lingering presence. Those final hours are introspective, almost private.
Coriander is a fragrance that rejects softness in favour of architectural clarity. David Seth Moltz has constructed something genuinely herbaceous—not the prettified herbal of mainstream perfumery, but rather the green, slightly astringent character of a well-stocked apothecary. The Russian coriander seed opens with a peppery warmth that immediately collides with juniper needle's resinous bite, whilst cubeb adds a measured spiciness that feels almost medicinal. This isn't a fragrance that coddles; it presents itself as a thinking person's composition, all sharp angles and intellectual intent.
What distinguishes Coriander from lesser herbal fragrances is the sophisticated interplay of its middle register. The clary sage doesn't soften into floral prettiness but instead deepens the green character, working in tandem with clove to create something faintly culinary—you could almost imagine this worn by someone standing over a spice merchant's counter. The geranium here isn't rose-like but instead contributes a peppery, almost dry-leaf quality. Iso E Super, that controversial molecule, serves a purpose here: it elongates the spicy-green accord, preventing collapse into mere citrus freshness.
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3.3/5 (314)