The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Trial of the Grasses, titled Próba Traw in Polish, emerged from perfumer Alan Balewski's 2020 work with Bale Perfumes. Juniper enters first with a bright, familiar snap. The composition then turns toward cypriol oil or nagarmotha and vetiver, adding earthy, mineral, and lightly smoky qualities. Oakmoss and leather give the fragrance greater weight, balancing the greenery with mossy depth and a smooth, dry texture. There isn't a literal story here, no invented meadow or folklore tableau. The name does the atmospheric work. Green, resinous, aromatic, and only lightly sweet, the scent develops gradually, pairing brisk freshness with a darker woody center.
The unusual part is the contrast between vivid greenery and skin. Juniper supplies the bright opening snap, but the heart shifts toward cypriol oil or nagarmotha and vetiver, materials with mineral, earthy, and almost smoky edges. Oakmoss and leather then give the composition a firmer base, keeping the vegetation from seeming overly airy. As the fragrance wears, the initial brightness softens while moss, vetiver, and leather become more noticeable. The result balances juniper's clean aromatic quality with darker earthy notes and only a restrained touch of sweetness.
The evolution
The first impression is a clean hit of juniper, cool and lightly tart, with a green snap that can almost be mistaken for citrus. It doesn't stay there. Cypriol and vetiver bring the scent toward crushed leaves, damp bark, and mineral soil; the heart feels darker and more grounded than a simple green fragrance. As the hours pass, oakmoss and leather take over, replacing the opening brightness with a smoky, almost pencil-shaving texture. The leather is smooth rather than glossy, while the moss keeps the composition earthy and green. Juniper remains intermittently perceptible beneath these deeper notes, giving the drydown a faint aromatic lift. By the later stages, the fragrance sits close to skin, still distinct, carrying a subtle resinous sweetness and a dry mineral character. It wears from a crisp opening into a mellow, mossy, and leathery finish.
Cultural impact
Trial of the Grasses pairs its English name with the Polish title Próba Traw. Its composition moves from juniper into cypriol or nagarmotha, vetiver, oakmoss, and leather, giving the fragrance both freshness and weight. The Polish title adds another layer to a scent that begins with greenery and develops into a dry, earthy combination of moss and smooth leather.
The House
Bale PerfumesBale Perfumes is the creative endeavor of independent perfumer Alan Balewski, who operates BALE Independent Perfumery Practice from a dedicated perfume laboratory. The brand crafts niche, artisan fine fragrances that draw from Slavic cultural imagery and natural landscapes. Notable releases include Mare Goticum and Hispaniola (both 2024), alongside earlier works such as Elderflower & Gooseberry (2020), Trial of the Grasses (2020), The White Flame (2020), The Swallow (2021), and Eridan (2024). The collection features Polish-language titles for several key compositions, including Próba Traw, Jaskółka, and Biały Płomień, reflecting Balewski's connection to Polish heritage and literary traditions. As an independent house, Bale Perfumes operates outside the structure of larger fragrance houses, allowing for experimental approaches to scent composition and limited production runs.
The Creator
Alan BalewskiBased on the artisan ethos and limited output, Balewski appears to favor deliberate, considered compositions over rapid turnover. His ISIPCA training provided classical foundations in raw material handling and accord construction, which he likely blends with more intuitive, ex…
