The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
DEV #4: Reprise is part of the Devil Scent Project, a series built around resinous materials and their darker possibilities. The name suggests continuation, a return to something already established. Dr. Ellen Covey formulated this one in 2012, working within the series structure to explore what happens when frankincense and labdanum anchor a composition together. The project approach meant each iteration could push further into a specific material territory. Reprise arrived as the fourth installment, taking the series' core tension, smoke and sweetness, resin and wood, and deepening it.
The note structure is deceptively simple: frankincense, labdanum absolute, tolu balsam, thuja, and arborvitae. What makes it distinctive is the pairing of two resinous materials with coniferous woods that bring an American Pacific Northwest character to a composition that could have gone Middle Eastern. Thuja and giant arborvitae are unusual choices, not the cedar or sandalwood that anchor most resinous fragrances. They're the botanical signature of a perfumer who grows orchids for a living and understands plant chemistry as deeply as she understands scent.
The evolution
The opening hits sharp and immediate, olibanum smoke rising straight up, almost medicinal in its intensity. Then labdanum arrives within minutes, sweet and leathery, threading through the smoke like honey in tea. The heart is where the resins fully take over: dark, dense, tolu balsam's vanillic warmth layered over a smoky base that doesn't retreat. The drydown is where it transforms. What started as smoke settles into something earthier, woodier, thuja and arborvitae asserting their coniferous character while labdanum lingers underneath. On most skin, this phase holds for eight to ten hours. The final impression is quiet. Resinous. Close.
Cultural impact
DEV #4: Reprise occupies a specific corner of niche perfumery, resinous, smoky, woody, with enough sweetness to keep it from going fully austere. The Devil Scent Project series has developed a following among collectors who appreciate depth and development over polished appeal. Reprise holds a dedicated place in that lineup, particularly for wearers who want resin without the usual oriental sweetness.
