The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The Absinthe Drinkers was created by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and released in 2022 as part of DSH Perfumes' Heirloom Elixir collection. Its subject is absinthe itself, treated not as a simple boozy accord but as an atmosphere: herbal, dry, green, and softly creamy when water and sugar enter the picture. Hurwitz built the composition around star anise, artemisia, and an absinthe accord, combining these materials with citrus, aldehydes, galbanum, and a varied floral heart. The result moves between crisp opening notes and layers of violet, mimosa, jasmine, heliotrope, lily, rose, hay, and star anise before settling into ambrette, orris, patchouli, musk, and wild vetiver.
The unusual part is how many textures share the same drink-inspired premise. Sharp citrus and aldehydes create the first impression. Galbanum and the absinthe accord introduce a green character, while violets, mimosa, jasmine, heliotrope, lily, and rose form the floral center. Hay and star anise add their own dry, aromatic materials, and ambrette, orris, patchouli, musk, and wild vetiver give the composition a grounded base. As these notes interact, the fragrance presents a layered progression from citrus and aldehydes through green and floral materials to woods, musks, and dense base notes.
The evolution
The opening arrives with bergamot, lemon, and aldehydes, creating a bright introduction before galbanum and the absinthe accord bring in a dry-green character. Star anise adds its licorice-anise character, while cardamom contributes a cool aromatic presence. As the fragrance develops, the floral material unfolds: violet, violet leaf, violet wood sorrel, heliotrope, mimosa, jasmine, lily, and rose form a pale floral layer with powder and sweetness at its center. Sugar softens the herbal profile without making the composition gourmand. In the drydown, ambrette, musk, orris, patchouli, and wild vetiver gather around the floral heart. Violet and hay remain part of the composition as it becomes earthy and musky, while patchouli and vetiver contribute greater depth.
Cultural impact
The Absinthe Drinkers belongs to DSH Perfumes' Heirloom Elixir collection and draws on the culture of absinthe drinking in late nineteenth-century Paris, where the practice was associated with artists, writers, musicians, and the general public. The fragrance interprets that history through an old-world aldehydic structure, combining absinthe-inspired materials with citrus, florals, hay, and a grounded base of ambrette, orris, patchouli, musk, and wild vetiver.
The House
DSH PerfumesDSH Perfumes is an indie fragrance house rooted in Colorado. Founder Dawn Spencer Hurwitz blends botanical ingredients with a keen sense of visual art, offering scents that feel like scented sketches rather than commercial statements. The line balances historic perfume structures with contemporary twists, inviting collectors to explore each bottle as a quiet study in aroma.
The Creator
Dawn Spencer HurwitzDawn’s signatures are rich, tactile woods, resinous amber, and finely tuned floral accords that recall the texture of a canvas. She favors natural extracts—cedar, sandalwood, frankincense, and hand‑picked botanicals—often pairing them with unexpected mineral or metallic notes…
