No.64 Ylang, 2013

A sumptuous floral chypre with all the moody charisma of a film noir. Like the scarlet-lipped femme fatale with a shadowy past, the enigmatic Ylang 49 starts as a thing of straightforward beauty before leading us down a winding, slightly dangerous path.

Ylang 49 opens with a powerful burst of classic chypre elements – a sultry sweet floral heart of gardenia and ylang ylang, countering a pungently earthy patchouli and oakmoss. But just when you think you've got it figured out, the ylang ylang and gardenia meld into a lush, buttery, exotic floral with hints of apricot. The tension between the creamy flowers and dusky oakmoss creates a gingery fizz and the deep thrum of rich sandalwood and resinous benzoin generates a velvety sweetness that highlights the titular ingredient's peachlike aspect. In the center of all this swirling intrigue is a warm, salty skin note that feels both sensuous and modern, provocative yet comforting. Like the mysterious beauty from so many stories, Ylang 49 is not meant to flirt with everyone it meets, but instead to seduce only the worthy.

Exquisite secrets like the ones contained in Ylang 49 simply cannot be limited to either men or women. The only requirements are boldness, complexity, and a thirst for the extraordinary.