Once
Bright citrus and green bitterness give way to tonka warmth in a scent about the spirit of youth.
Once carries the Chinese title 少年游, “youthful wanderings,” after a lyric by the Southern Song poet Liu Guo, who reflects that the journeys of his younger days cannot be lived the same way again. Rather than mourning those years, the scent holds on to the spirit they left behind.
Bergamot and citron open with bright acidity, sharpened by the green bitterness of cassis leaf and the dry bite of juniper berry and pink pepper. Gin and white tea then clear the air, while iris adds a soft powdery edge, peony a watery floral note and cardamom a cool spice, turning momentum into calm transparency.
Cedarwood and oakmoss lay down dry wood and moss; nutmeg warms them slightly, and tonka bean leaves a gentle sweetness at the close. Green and bitter at first, tender at the end, it lets the memory of youth move forward instead of simply fading.
