The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Encore Un Peu translates to "one more time" or "a little more", a name that speaks directly to the reluctance of leaving a moment behind. Bertrand Duchaufour composed it around a tension: tart green rhubarb against powdery violet iris. The rhubarb opens with an immediate tartness, green and slightly acidic, like biting into a fresh stalk. The violet iris provides a powdery, almost starchy sweetness that softens the edges. These notes occupy the same space, the sharp and the soft, creating a fragrance that feels both invigorating and gentle. The combination lingers on the skin, shifting between crisp and muted qualities as it develops. There's a quiet push and pull between the two materials, each taking turns to lead before settling into a balanced embrace.
The rhubarb opens green, almost acidic. Plant sap adds a fresh, vegetal quality beneath it. But the heart belongs to purple iris, powdery, violet-sweet, hypnotic. Cedar brings its own aromatic warmth, bridging the green opening to the woody base. The trick is in the cedar. It doesn't just support the iris, it slows the whole composition down, letting the powdery character win. By the time guaiac wood and sandalwood arrive, the green has already conceded. The drydown is warm, creamy, intimate. That's where the name lives, in the moment you realize you want to stay here a little longer.
The evolution
The opening hits tart. Rhubarb's green bite arrives first, sharp and impertinent, followed by a fresh vegetal accord that reads like crushed stems. For the first twenty minutes, this is almost aggressive in its greenness. Then the iris arrives. The powdery violet character slides in quietly, not replacing the green so much as softening it, a wolf in sheep's clothing, some have said. The cedar threads through, adding aromatic warmth that makes the whole heart feel hypnotic. Close to the skin now. The sillage moderates as the top notes recede. The drydown belongs to the woods. Guaiac wood brings its smoky, almost tar-like depth while sandalwood adds creamy warmth underneath. The iris doesn't disappear, it lingers beneath the woods, a whisper of powdery sweetness beneath the warmth. On most skin types, this holds for 6-8 hours. Never projecting far. Always intimate. The kind of fragrance someone nearby might notice but never quite identify.
Cultural impact
Encore Un Peu arrived in 2017, introducing a composition that pairs tart green rhubarb with powdery violet iris. Duchaufour brought these two materials together in a way that creates an unexpected harmony. The rhubarb contributes a bright, almost tart quality while the iris adds a soft, powdery depth beneath. Together they create a fragrance that challenges expectations, offering something that feels both crisp and gentle at the same time. Enthusiasts have found the pairing thought-provoking, a composition that rewards attention and invites discussion.
