The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Raer 08 Labdanum + Oak arrived in 2024 with a clear idea: steadiness and strength. Its foundation pairs sweet, ten-year-aged English oakwood with resinous wild labdanum. The aged wood brings warmth and a polished grain, while labdanum adds dark balsamic depth and a smoky edge. Around that foundation, cardamom gives the opening lift, black pepper introduces dry heat, and vetiver supplies structure. Osmanthus, mate, black cardamom, elemi resin, and carrot seed expand the composition without pulling it away from its woody-resinous center. The fragrance presents dense materials with composure, balancing warm oak, dark resin, pepper, and spice around a steady woody heart.
The unusual part is the balance between a fortress-like base and notes that keep the air moving. Labdanum can become dense and tarry, yet cardamom, black pepper, and mate lend brightness and aromatic lift. English oakwood gives the darker materials a smoother, woody grain, while carrot seed introduces a dry, earthy counterpoint. Elemi resin and osmanthus add resinous brightness and a polished floral touch. Nothing reads as a decorative flourish. Every material seems to support the same sturdy, balsamic structure.
The evolution
The composition opens with brisk aromatic tension, as cardamom meets English oak and resinous labdanum. Oakwood contributes warm grain, while labdanum gives the blend dark balsamic depth and a smoky edge. As the heart develops, black pepper, black cardamom, vetiver, and mate bring dry heat, structure, and a faintly green quality. Osmanthus and elemi resin add polished brightness and resinous smoothness, while oak continues to ground the composition in warm wood. The notes settle into a woody-resinous center of oak, labdanum, and elemi, with earthy carrot seed providing a subtle trace. The result is less about overt sweetness than polished wood and resin under heat, shaped by spice, greenery, and smoke.
Cultural impact
Raer 08 Labdanum + Oak offers a contemporary expression of the traditional woody-resinous fragrance. Sweet English oakwood and wild labdanum establish a richly material base, while cardamom, black pepper, vetiver, mate, and black cardamom introduce aromatic heat and structure. Osmanthus, elemi resin, and carrot seed broaden the composition without obscuring its central character. For fragrance explorers drawn to wood, resin, spice, and smoke, it provides a focused study in how natural materials can interact with depth and polish.
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.
