The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
823 draws its inspiration from Monaco in late summer, when the light turns amber and the Riviera feels less like a postcard and more like a memory. House of Iyrah described the composition as a luminous fruity floral, the kind of scent that captures a specific hour of the year rather than chasing a trend. Rodrigo Flores-Roux of Givaudan composed the piece, bringing his fluency in bright, creamy florals to a brief rooted in the atmosphere of that sun-warmed coastline. The raspberry note opens with a chilled, almost blended-fruit quality, then melts into white florals whose creaminess catches that golden late-summer light.
What makes 823 distinctive is how it handles its fruit. The raspberry arrives not as candy or jam but as something cooler, almost smoothie-like, lifted by green mandarin. Then the heart leans into two white florals working in tandem: jasmine sambac for indolic sweetness and Tuberose Natsublim™ for a creamy, sun-warmed fullness. Karo Karounde adds a green, almost camphoraceous edge that keeps the bouquet from collapsing into pure sugar. The interplay between the fruit and the florals is what gives 823 its specific character.
The evolution
The first thirty minutes belong to raspberry and mandarin, bright and effervescent, like biting into cold fruit on a terrace. By the one-hour mark, the jasmine and tuberose have moved in fully, and the scent shifts from fruity to floral without a hard break, more like a tide turning. The plum arrives around the third hour, deepening the sweetness into something darker, almost wine-like. Ambrofix and mahogany wood ground everything from hour four onward, a warm, slightly woody drydown that clings close to skin. Ambrofix lends a clean, amber-like radiance, an almost mineral shimmer that prevents the base from turning heavy or syrupy. The mahogany adds a polished smoothness, like the surface of a well-worn wooden handle catching afternoon sun. Together they create a drydown that feels intimate and settled, more like a second skin than a trail of perfume.
Cultural impact
823 presents a recognizable composition centered on raspberry, green mandarin, jasmine sambac, Tuberose Natsublim™, Karo Karounde, plum, Ambrofix, and mahogany wood, each note placed with intention rather than abundance. The raspberry and mandarin opening gives the scent an immediate, approachable brightness that reads as summery and convivial. The heart introduces a careful dialogue between jasmine's indolic sweetness and the creamy, sun-warmed fullness of the tuberose, with Karo Karounde's green edge providing essential counterbalance.
The House
House of IyrahHouse of Iyrah is an independent fragrance house founded in 2022 by Samira Mbang. The brand emerged from a deeply personal origin story, inspired by Mbang's mother who was born without a sense of smell yet maintained a love for perfumery throughout her life. This unusual relationship with fragrance shapes the house's identity, positioning scent as something that exists beyond mere olfactory experience. The house approaches fragrance as a vessel for memory, emotion, and human connection. House of Iyrah creates niche perfumes that invite wearers to consider what fragrance means when one cannot smell it, yet still finds meaning in the ritual, the bottle, the story. The brand operates as a small independent house, with its collections available through direct channels and select stockists. Notable releases include Act I, Nocturne, Cherry, L'Artisan, Canvas, Opera, Symphony, Toxic, Gold Sand, and Obsidian.
The Creator
Rodrigo Flores-RouxFlores-Roux gravitates toward bold, characterful compositions with strong sillage and distinct personalities. He excels at balancing opulent florals against warm woods and resins, and has a particular gift for citrus and neroli interpretations that feel neither precious nor fl…
