A Drop d'Issey Issey Miyake

A Drop d'Issey is a whisper rather than a declaration—a fragrance that trades projection for intimacy. The almond milk opening immediately signals Ane Ayo's intent: this is a creamy floral that rejects the airiness typically associated with rose and orange blossom. Instead, those traditionally bright notes are softened, almost curdled, by the richness of heated almond, creating an almost gourmand interpretation of florality without ever becoming dessert-like. The damask rose doesn't arrive as the classical romantic figure; it's subdued, nearly translucent, filtered through that creamy lens as though you're smelling it through layers of silk.

The heart layers lilac and jasmine atop this creamy foundation, and here's where the star anise becomes crucial—it prevents the floral arrangement from becoming powdery or soapy. Instead, it introduces a subtle spiced undertone that keeps the composition grounded and slightly strange, stopping just short of being conventionally pretty. This is the fragrance of someone who finds traditional floral perfumery a touch too obvious.