Caissa

The opening introduces black licorice, a note that brings an almost medicinal sharpness and a darkness that catches attention. Fougassette, a bread-like, yeasty note, accompanies the licorice, creating an opening that feels simultaneously savory and sweet. From there, white florals take their turn. Gardenia, jasmine, and Madagascan ylang-ylang layer into a tropical excess that fills the space with lush, opulent bloom. The cacao in the base doesn't read as chocolate.

The evolution

Cardamom and pink pepper appear in the opening, a flash of warmth before the composition shifts. The licorice remains present as the white florals begin their approach. Gardenia arrives thick and creamy, followed by jasmine and ylang-ylang in succession. This is the phase that defines Caïssa: opulent, tropical, unabashed in its bloom. On some skin, it reads as intoxicating. On others, it reads as more than expected. The florals arrive and they stay. The drydown is where Caïssa finally exhales. The florals thin out, cacao emerges from beneath, and what remains is warm, close, and significantly more interesting than the opening suggested. Musk and Ambrocenide settle into the skin, creating a presence that lingers close to the wearer, intimate rather than room-filling, but persistent. The next day, there's a faint trace on fabric: sweet, warm, unmistakably floral.