No. 61 852 Orchid by Floriography

No. 61 852 Orchid: a Floral Scent Whose Heart Is Mountain Air

Some perfumes tell stories, others conjure landscapes. No. 61 852 Orchid does the latter. Launched in 2019 by Floriography, this feminin floral is the work of perfumer Jo Shaw.

His name points both to the flowering of an orchid and an imaginery altitude: at the centre of the olfactive pyramid sits mountain air.

The open of No. 61 852 Orchid pairs ozonic notes with white orchid. It is a bit like drawing back the curtains of an alpine hut at dawn: a bright freshness that wraps rather than chills.

In the heart, mountain air grows stronger and fuses with the white orchid, producing a clean, near-aquatic floral accent. The flower is neither fleshy nor tropical, but fine and delicate, with a powder-like feel that brings to mind freshly dusted petals.

The base, consisting of coconut and musk, supplies the warmth that keeps the scent close to the skin. The coconut is creamy and lactonic, never overwhelming, and the musk smooths the whole and draws out a softly sweet, soothing finish.

Jo Shaw has made a balanced composition, somewhere between the ethereal and the sensual. The ozonic, musky and sweet accords are apparent from the very start, but the powdery element is what gives the perfume its elegant and tranquil personality.

The scent unfolds on the skin, travelling from a crisp start to a warm finish of coconut and musk. It is a scent for daytime, best worn from spring through summer.

Even though it's olfactively a floral, the coconut and musk marriage adds a seductive undertone that sees it through both a long office day and a weekend ramble in the country.

Those who enjoy a fresh, refined floral with a creamy, powdery edge will take to this. It is a flexible scent for everyday wear, particularly out of doors.

No. 61 852 Orchid is an invitation to take a deep breth. Its blend of white orchid, mountain air and coconut is both soothing and reassuring. A floral that stands out from the overly sweet conventions.