New Perfume Launches: 168 posts

Iris is an ingredient that almost always sways me, and yet the more iris fragrances I smell, the harder it becomes to be genuinely surprised. Iris is among the most complex materials in perfumery, whether natural or reconstructed. It originates from the rhizome of Iris pallida, and its scent moves effortlessly between contrasts: violet petals and frozen roots; green buds and powdery floral softness. It is elegant and ethereal, yet anchored by a strong, unmistakable core. That is precisely why Iris Hermit by Lapot Studio felt like such a revelation when I discovered it in Shanghai. It gave me my iris ideal type when I least expected it.

What struck me immediately was the texture of the iris. Soft, but not vague. Delicate, yet not fragile. There is a beautiful opalescence about it, like the pale interior of an oyster shell, smooth, luminous, and quietly sensual. The iris is gently cushioned by light peachy nuances that add a hint of sweetness, while green accents shimmer through the composition. Notably, there is no overt woodiness anchoring the scent. Instead, the structure feels suspended, airy, and finely balanced.

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One of the best discoveries during my recent trip to China finding the vibrant indie perfumery scene. While I expected to see established brands employing famous international perfumers, the bold experiments by independent artisans came as a surprise.  One such example is Passion Chypre from L’Atelier Möbius.

L’Atelier Möbius is a small house run by a perfumer, Lorenzo, together with his wife. Passion Chypre is one of several fragrances in his collection, which ranges from florals to amber. As the name promises, passion fruit is the star of the composition. Tropical fruits can be unruly, tending to drift into overripe, even rotten territory. Here, passion fruit is huge, bold and sweet. Fruit to the power of ten.

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At Notes Shanghai, the Born to Stand Out booth was impossible to miss. A blaze of red, pop-art prints, and crowds three rows deep—all trying to get a whiff of the brand’s latest releases. I admit that I hadn’t heard of this Korean house before the fair, but a perfumer friend insisted I stop by: “They’re doing something interesting,” she said. She was right.

The founder, Jun Lim, guided me through several perfumes, but the one that immediately caught my attention was Black Crème, a new creation by Quentin Bisch. If you know Bisch’s style—those bold, ambery-woody harmonies that manage to be both extroverted and impeccably polished—you’ll recognize his hand here at once.

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Guerlain Shalimar L’Essence (українська версія)

When a house like Guerlain marks the centenary of its most famous perfume, expectations run high. Shalimar is more than a fragrance; it is a myth. Born in 1925, Jacques Guerlain’s creation was radical in its structure: a dazzling bergamot opening tumbling into smoke, balsams, and a warm, animalic vanilla base. It was perfume as sensation, unapologetically modern and deeply sensual.

Shalimar L’Essence, launched in 2025 by Delphine Jelk, does not attempt to recreate that audacity. Instead, it revives the formula of Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia (2021), a limited edition that quickly became a cult favorite. Fans of that release will be pleased to know that L’Essence brings the same opulent, liqueur-like vanilla into the permanent collection.

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I first encountered Marc-Antoine Barrois Aldebaran—a bold new tuberose fragrance by Quentin Bisch—in a small perfume shop in Ternopil, western Ukraine. The concept of buying decants is incredibly popular in Ukraine, and it makes high-end perfume exploration more accessible. I had read about Aldebaran’s launch and, being a devoted lover of tuberose, was immediately curious. Could it rival my benchmark, Frédéric Malle’s Carnal Flower?

I bought a small sample, tucked it into my bag, and tested it later that evening. One spray. That was enough. Aldebaran doesn’t bloom—it detonates.

This is not the “strawberries-and-cream” tuberose of Robert Piguet Fracas, nor the dewy green tendrils of Diptyque Do Son or the fruity-lactonic flirtation of Gucci Bloom. No. Aldebaran leans into the metallic, rubbery, mentholated side of the flower—amplifying its natural pungency, its blue-white chill, and even that faint, gasoline-like bite that tuberose can sometimes hide beneath its petals.

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