Tchai
First-flush Darjeeling leaves picked before dawn. Bergamot and cardamom open with a cool lift, mimosa and osmanthus soften the middle, and Darjeeling tea settles into sandalwood. Mist and warmth in the same breath.
Perfumer: Barnabé Fillion
The tea fields of Darjeeling spread across green hills at the foot of the Himalayas. Before dawn, farmers pick first-flush buds by hand, one leaf at a time. Cold mist and the green of freshly plucked leaves are where this fragrance begins.
Bergamot opens with a bright citrus lift, and cardamom adds a light spice. Violet leaf brings a cool green edge, close to the smell of a leaf just taken from the bush. The spice stays restrained, tightening the morning air rather than dominating it.
In the middle, mimosa, osmanthus, and ylang-ylang build a floral layer. Osmanthus carries an apricot-like sweetness, and ylang-ylang adds a denser floral weight. Together they slowly loosen the green chill of the opening.
The drydown is Darjeeling tea, black tea, maté, and Indian sandalwood. The tannic bite of brewed tea and a roasted warmth sit on the dry wood of sandalwood and linger. Mist and steam exist side by side in the same scent.
It suits quiet mornings and the slower mood of autumn and winter dressing. What stays on skin brings together the green impression of freshly picked leaves and the tannic warmth of brewed tea.
