No 8

What makes No 8 work is the pairing of mastic resin with neroli and frankincense. Fontaine understood their resonance before he built around them. Mastic's pine-kissed quality, neroli's bright floral lift, and frankincense smoke: together they create a warm heart that doesn't erase the opening, but deepens it. The resinous depth of mastic grounds the composition while the citrus-floral brightness of neroli lifts it. Frankincense adds a smoky, spiritual quality that weaves through the heart, creating an interplay that feels both ancient and immediate.

The evolution

The opening announces itself clearly: galbanum's sharp, bitter-green intensity, softened within minutes by bergamot and lemon. Citrus keeps it from going astringent. Mastic arrives next, resinous, warm, slightly piney. It's the structural bridge between the bright opening and the deeper base. Frankincense follows, its smoke threading through the neroli. The green-resinous heart begins to assert itself as the citrus fades. Cedar and white musk anchor the drydown, with amber holding warmth throughout. The incense doesn't disappear. It quietens, becoming a skin-note rather than a statement. Throughout the wear, each layer communicates with the others, the green brightness giving way to resinous warmth as the composition moves through its phases. The cedar adds texture while the white musk keeps things close to the skin.