The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Raer 01 Nagarmotha launched in 2024, composed by Ted Rohn. Nagarmotha root is the point of departure. It's an earthy, resinous root with a narcotic quality that gives the fragrance a forceful herbal character. It hits first, hard and herbal, paired with the dark aromatic pull of patchouli leaf and the sharp green edge of makrut lime leaf. As the composition unfolds, mandarin and tangerine bring brightness to the dense root, while vetiver, cedarwood, cypriol and frankincense deepen its woody, smoky and resinous character.
What makes this composition worth a closer look is the refusal to soften the root. Nagarmotha arrives with a pronounced bitterness that can read medicinal depending on context. Here, framed by patchouli and vetiver root, it reads as concentrated plant matter. The lime leaf and mandarin bring air, and the frankincense resin gives the whole thing a smoky, church-like gravity. Together, the root, leaf and resin create a fragrance that feels dark, textured and deliberately intense.
The evolution
The first impression is herbal authority. Nagarmotha lands dark and almost medicinal, then the lime leaf cuts through with green brightness, with mandarin and tangerine adding a bright accent. Patchouli deepens that early sharpness into something warmer and more tactile, while cedarwood contributes a dry woody character. As the composition settles into its base, Somali frankincense, Java vetiver and cypriol form a resinous and quietly smoky foundation. The narcotic root softens but never leaves. What lingers closest to skin is the earthy vetiver, dry cedar and a resinous shadow that still smells faintly medicinal on a wool sweater the next morning. It remains quieter and closer to the wearer, yet still unmistakably itself.
Cultural impact
Nagarmotha offers an unusual point of entry into fragrance through a root rarely featured in this way. Its bitter, medicinal herbal quality is not presented as a soft background note. Patchouli and vetiver root reinforce the concentrated plant character, while lime leaf, mandarin and tangerine introduce brightness around it. Frankincense, cedarwood and cypriol add resinous, smoky and woody depth, making the composition worth exploring on its own terms: challenging, tactile and firmly rooted in its central material.
The House
RAER ScentsRaer Scents is a Berlin‑based perfume house that builds each fragrance from 100 % botanical ingredients. The brand launches limited‑edition scents that combine rare, sustainably harvested plants with a modern compositional style. Every bottle arrives hand‑blended, free of synthetics and preservatives, offering a tactile, textured experience that reflects the city’s experimental spirit.
The Creator
Stefan KehlKehle brings an artist's sensibility to fragrance construction. His twelve perfumes demonstrate consistency in their focus on natural materials, avoiding synthetic shortcuts in favor of ingredients with genuine character and depth.
