The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Created in honor of the 2013 Seattle Artisan Chocolate and Fragrance Salon, Seattle Chocolate pairs dark cacao with Northwestern forest aromatics, silver fir, balsam fir, poplar bud, oakmoss. Dr. Ellen Covey, a botanist with a background in orchid cultivation at her Olympic Peninsula nursery, developed the fragrance when the commission arrived. The composition pairs dark chocolate with cool evergreen notes, creating a scent that captures the character of Pacific Northwest forests through bitter cacao. The result is a fragrance named for the city that made it, drawing on the smell of the region itself.
The pairing is what makes this fragrance notable. Chocolate with fir and moss takes a different direction than the usual approach. The composition leans into the sharp quality of silver fir and balsam fir, letting those conifer notes carry the opening alongside dark chocolate. The cocoa itself stays dry and austere, never sliding into milk chocolate or confectionery territory. This balance between bitter cacao and evergreen creates something that stands apart from sweeter chocolate fragrances.
The evolution
The opening hits with dark chocolate and silver fir arriving almost simultaneously, bitter cacao, cool evergreen, a faint aldehydic sparkle that lifts the whole thing. The fir enters as a confident, resinous presence alongside the chocolate. For the first thirty minutes, this fragrance is about that tension: two bold notes creating a striking combination. Then the heart develops. The balsamic quality of the fir mellows into the composition, the poplar bud emerges with a waxy, slightly sweet greenness, and the cocoa takes on a more powdery, dry character. The vanilla does not announce itself. It waits. When the drydown finally arrives, the fir has receded almost completely, leaving oakmoss, bourbon vanilla, and a lingering cocoa warmth to do the work. The drydown is mossy and warm, with cocoa grounded close to the skin. This is a long-lasting fragrance that extends well into the day.
Cultural impact
Seattle Chocolate occupies a distinctive corner of the niche fragrance world. Rather than leaning into caramel, tonka, or dessert accords, it takes chocolate into conifer and moss territory. The pairing of Pacific Northwest evergreen notes with dark cacao represents a creative choice that defines a house known for botanical curiosity. Collectors who appreciate unusual fragrance combinations may find this release stands apart from more conventional chocolate scents.
