The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
A witch loves differently. That's the premise behind A Witch's Valentine, Sorce's 2022 extrait that takes the occasion of February 14th and strips away the predictable. Perfumer Caitlin Hayes built this around raspberry puree and three rose absolutes, a combination that sounds romantic until you notice the suede underneath. The name is half confession, half provocation. A witch doesn't wait for Valentine's Day to arrive. She makes it happen on her own terms, with something sweet that also has teeth.
What makes this composition unusual is the structural tension between gourmand and leather. Marshmallow, sugar, and white chocolate set up the opening with unmistakable sweetness, the kind that reads as inviting, even innocent. But suede doesn't belong in a love story. It belongs in a car someone else drove, a jacket left behind, a room that still smells like the person who wore it. Rose absolutes from Morocco, Turkey, and Bulgaria bridge the gap, giving the sweetness a depth it couldn't find on its own. Three origins, three different qualities of rose, all pulling in the same direction: warm, powdery, and just slightly animalic beneath the surface.
The evolution
The opening hits immediately, raspberry puree swirling into sugary sweetness, sugar sparkling on the tongue before you've even tasted it. This is the flirtation phase, and it doesn't pretend otherwise. Within minutes the rose absolutes arrive, adding a powdery floral quality that tames the gourmand impulse without killing it. The suede surfaces here too, a soft leather undertone that keeps the sweetness from becoming cloying. As the fragrance develops, the suede becomes more prominent, warm and slightly animalic, carrying traces of raspberry and rose underneath like a secret. This is the drydown. The part that stays. On most skin types, the fragrance maintains its character for hours before gradually softening. On fabric, it leaves its impression well after the initial application.
Cultural impact
A Witch's Valentine is an indie Extrait de Parfum that arrived with a rose-forward sweetness and an unusual suede drydown, a combination that stood out in the fragrance landscape. Its composition placed it in conversation with both gourmand and floral-leather categories, appealing to those seeking something outside mainstream releases. The Extrait de Parfum concentration distinguishes it from typical oil-based indie offerings, positioning it in a more concentrated category. The name itself nods to the Valentine's Day calendar, adding seasonal resonance to its positioning among fragrance enthusiasts.
