The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Italian brand Police built its identity around bold, urban energy, starting with eyewear before expanding into other lifestyle products. The Potion line takes risks with unexpected material combinations. Potion Absinthe pushes further, drawing from the mystique of the green fairy herself, the absinthe that became legendary in its own right. Leslie Gauthier built the 2023 composition around hemp, artemisia, star anise, and sage, materials that don't play safe. The green, herbal character of artemisia and sage meet the sharp, slightly medicinal quality of hemp, while star anise adds alicorice-like sweetness that rounds the edges. Together they create something that feels both edgy and cohesive, a fragrance that announces itself without shouting.
The real tension sits in the pairing: cannabis with mandarin orange, star anise with sage. These combinations shouldn't work, on paper. But they do, because Gauthier understood that absinthe's appeal was never about one note, it was about the contrast. Bitter and sweet. Green and warm. Herbal and almost alcoholic. Cannabis and star anise deliver exactly that contradiction. The bright citrus lifts the darker herbal foundation, while the star anise weaves between them, adding sweetness that prevents the blend from becoming too austere.
The evolution
The opening announces itself without apology, mandarin and cannabis together, bright against green, sharp against herbal. The citrus doesn't linger. Within minutes, the artemisia takes over and the absinthe story becomes undeniable: bitter wormwood, sweet anise, sage weaving through both like a whispered argument. The cannabis note adds a fresh, green quality that bridges the citrus opening and the herbal heart, preventing any jarring transition. The base arrives steady and warm. Cedar and vetiver ground the sweetness, while guaiac wood adds something smoky and resinous, almost as if the green fairy left a trace on the way out. The drydown stays close, intimate, woody without ever going flat. Throughout the wear, the star anise lingers in the background, providing a subtle licorice warmth that ties the opening to the finish.
Cultural impact
Police occupies a distinctive space in the fragrance landscape, offering bold designer energy without luxury pricing. Potion Absinthe leans into that positioning with materials that make a statement: cannabis and star anise together is a deliberate choice, not a default. The fragrance rewards confidence and curiosity in equal measure, appealing to wearers who appreciate unexpected combinations and aren't afraid to wear something that asks questions rather than providing easy answers.
