Mr. Vetiver – Eau de Parfum – 100ml

Every day just after twelve he comes riding up. On a nineties Dutch bicycle and linen trousers, he darts around the corner barefoot and rolls to an effortless stop, walks into the little bamboo-roofed café bar across from my flat and sits down. Every day, the same seat, the same drink. His arms are deeply tanned – he stopped bothering with sunscreen a long time ago – at least that's what the many tattoos on his skin suggest. After his drink he often closes his eyes for a moment and sits still, before swinging back onto his bike and disappearing as quickly as he came. What stays behind is a fine green, earthy scent, carried across the street by the little plastic fans. See you tomorrow, Mr. Vetiver.

Mr. Vetiver opens on spice, with cardamom setting the tone right away. Grapefruit and lime are there but stay in the background, joined by something herbal from basil and tarragon. Then comes the geranium, peppery and slightly sharp. The vetiver underneath is fresh and grassy rather than earthy and heavy. Towards the end it softens: amber wood and moss, with a small warm kick of piri piri. What stays is the impression of wet grass in the morning, of spices at a market and of warm skin after a long day in the sun.