Knowing

Knowing is built around pittosporum, a flower Evelyn Lauder discovered on a holiday in the south of France. A floral scent drifted up from the garden below her balcony; she went looking for its source, found the pittosporum, and saw at once that it could anchor a fragrance.

The top notes set that flower among rose, tuberose, mimosa and plum. Tuberose adds lushness and mimosa a soft, powdery touch, while plum lends ripe sweetness, so the opening reads as full and slightly fruity rather than crisp. In the heart, jasmine and orange flower keep the floral thread bright, while patchouli brings an earthy depth beneath them.

The base turns toward the woods: oakmoss with its damp, bitter edge, dry rooty vetiver, smooth sandalwood and warm amber. Together they give the flowers and fruit a dense, grounded foundation. Estée Lauder classes the scent as floral woody and describes it as so deep and warm that it can almost be touched.

It suits someone who wants a floral that carries real weight, where the moss and woods matter as much as the bouquet.