The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Mountain High captures the scent of a summer vacation up north. The blend by Smell Bent's perfumer Brent Leonesio conjures those forests as they actually smell in the warm months: balsam fir so thick you can taste it, cannabis sweet on the air, patchouli undergrowth, and the vanilla-and-tonka warmth of a cabin at the end of the trail. Smell Bent launched the blend in 2011, part of the indie house's North by Northwest series that grouped fragrances around specific landscapes and moods. The collection drew on travel, place, and memory as raw material, with Mountain High standing as one of its most evocative entries, a wearable postcard from somewhere cooler, greener, and far from the everyday.
What makes Mountain High interesting is the pairing of materials that don't usually share a bottle. Cannabis accord alongside Canadian balsam creates a green resinous sweetness that reads almost edible. Patchouli grounds it without going hippie-dusty. Then vanilla extract and tonka bean slide underneath, softening the green into something warm enough to wear to dinner. It's a scent that earns its coziness honestly: the forest notes do real work before the gourmand base takes over.
The evolution
The opening is a bright, resinous rush. Balsam fir and cannabis lead, sharp and green, almost like biting into a fresh sprig of pine with something sweet caught in it. Lavender threads through, adding a clean herbal edge. As the fir pulls back, patchouli steps forward, earthier now, settling into the skin. The vanilla and tonka bean that were hiding in the middle bloom slowly, turning the whole thing warm and golden without losing the green. The cannabis accord softens from its initial leafy sweetness into a more rounded, almost honeyed facet, while the patchouli deepens with its characteristic damp-earth quality. Eventually, the base notes of vanilla, tonka, and sandalwood come to the forefront, and the fragrance smells woody, sweet, and faintly herbal, completely worn-in. On fabric, the tonka lingers longest, a soft almond-vanilla trace that holds after the fir has gone quiet.
Cultural impact
Mountain High is part of Smell Bent's North by Northwest series, a collection that grouped fragrances around specific places and the feelings they evoke. Other entries in the series include the warm spice-and-cocoa of Cocoa Libertine and the floral softness of What I Did on My Summer Vacation, each one a small olfactory sketch of a setting or mood. The cannabis-forward approach gives Mountain High a distinctive character, balancing the green sweetness of the accord with the dry sap of Canadian balsam, the earthiness of patchouli, and a base of vanilla, tonka, and sandalwood.
The House
Smell BentSmell Bent is a boutique perfume house that treats fragrance as a playground rather than a status symbol. The label rolls out limited‑run scents that range from cheeky pop‑culture nods to unexpected scent pairings. Each bottle arrives with a handwritten note that explains the inspiration behind the blend, inviting collectors to explore the story as much as the aroma. By keeping production small and pricing approachable, Smell Bent has cultivated a loyal community of scent enthusiasts who value creativity over hype.
The Creator
Brent LeonesioBrent builds his fragrances around bright citrus, crisp greens, and a pinch of unexpected spice. He layers a top note of bergamot or orange peel with a heart of lavender or cardamom, then anchors the composition with a modest base of vanilla, amber, or sandalwood.
