The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The High Road didn't arrive by accident. It came through a collaboration with MANTLE, a Scandinavian skincare brand. That partnership gave CRA-YON access to a cannabis accord that reads differently, something refined. Julie Pluchet built the fragrance around that accord, layering it with fig leaf's green brightness and cedarwood's quiet warmth. The combination creates an unexpected balance between fresh and warm, bright and grounded. The goal was a forever scent: something you reach for without thinking, that works because it doesn't demand attention.
What makes The High Road unusual is the pairing of cannabis with coconut. One is green, slightly illicit, herbaceous. The other is soft, lactonic, almost edible. Pluchet threads them together through violet and lily, florals that add powdery elegance without sweetness. The result is a composition that rewards patience: the opening announces itself quickly, but the drydown is where it earns its reputation as a daily wear. There's a quiet confidence to how it unfolds, never loud, never trying too hard.
The evolution
The opening hits fresh and green, fig leaf's brightness with sage's herbal lift and that subtle cannabis accord setting the tone. Thirty minutes in, the coconut arrives to soften everything, rounding the edges and adding a creamy, almost tropical quality. Violet and lily emerge quietly, threading powdery elegance through the heart. By the second hour, cedarwood and vetiver take over, grounding the composition with dry, woody warmth. The musk and amber anchor the drydown into something warm and intimate, close to the skin. Rather than projecting aggressively, the scent settles close, revealing itself only when someone leans in.
Cultural impact
The High Road arrives at a moment when cannabis has become a notable fragrance note, distinctive and still somewhat unconventional. The MANTLE collaboration gives it a particular character, appealing to a buyer who wants herbaceous clarity without sacrificing warmth. It's a fragrance that holds its ground quietly, neither loud nor ostentatious.
