Smoky & Earthy

Harshness is the acrid, almost burning sensation you experience when inhaling smoke from a freshly extinguished candle—sharp, slightly metallic, with an underlying bitterness. Imagine the charred edges of burnt toast, the metallic tang of iron filings warming on a stove, combined with the peppery bite of black smoke curling through cold air. It's deliberately unpolished, confrontational even, lacking the smooth sweetness of other smoky notes. There's an almost medicinal quality, like antiseptic meeting ash.

Spicy

Juniper smells crisp, dry, and slightly piney—imagine crushing fresh evergreen needles between your fingers on a cool morning. There's a subtle spiciness underneath, a whisper of pepper and warm wood, along with a clean, almost gin-like quality (because yes, juniper berries flavour gin). It's woody but not heavy, with a slightly resinous bite that tingles in your nostrils. Fresh-cut conifer, a hint of camphor, and something almost medicinal—think of walking through a pine forest after rain.