The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Exclusive №09 Berry Forest was released in 2017 and is credited to perfumer Valerie Nesterova. Its composition centers on a vivid fruit accord, led by raspberry and blackcurrant leaf, with green apple, apricot, and plum adding layers of crispness and ripeness. Raspberry supplies a juicy brightness, while blackcurrant leaf introduces a green, lightly tart edge. Green apple brings a clean, rounded crunch; apricot and plum lend a softer fruitiness that becomes richer as the composition settles. Amber warms the fruits without making them feel overtly sweet. The result is bright and fruity at first, with a rounder, more enveloping finish as the amber takes hold.
The unusual part is the balance inside that fruit basket. Raspberry supplies bright tartness, blackcurrant leaf introduces a leafy edge, and green apple keeps the sweetness crisp. Apricot and plum add rounded, honeyed depth, while amber binds those sharper fruits together. That contrast gives the composition more movement than a conventional berry scent: fresh, ripe, green, and warm all take turns instead of repeating the same sugary impression.
The evolution
The first impression is vivid and fruit-forward. Raspberry gives the composition a juicy, sparkling opening, while blackcurrant leaf brings tart, leafy energy. Green apple cuts through with a clean crunch and a crisp suggestion of freshness. Apricot and plum then shape the middle, making the fruit feel rounder, fuller, and more enveloping. Their sweetness remains gentle rather than sharp, spreading across the composition as the fruits overlap. Amber becomes the anchor, adding a soft golden warmth that shifts the character away from a dessert-like sweetness and toward something resembling sun-warmed skin. As the fragrance develops, the leafy and tart facets become less prominent, while apricot and plum take on greater softness. Amber smooths the fruit accord into a warmer, more cohesive trail.
Cultural impact
Berry Forest is defined by a clear fruit direction and a straightforward composition centered on raspberry, blackcurrant leaf, green apple, apricot, plum, and amber. Its appeal lies in the contrast among its notes: the juicy brightness of raspberry, the green tartness of blackcurrant leaf, and the crisp character of green apple establish a lively opening. Apricot and plum then add ripeness and softness, while amber gives the fruit a warm, golden finish. The composition is easy to explore note by note, from its fresh fruit facets to the warmer ambered base, offering a polished and expressive account of what a fruit fragrance can be.
The House
Valerie Nesterova Exclusive PerfumesValerie Nesterova Exclusive Perfumes is an independent niche fragrance house founded by Russian perfumer Valeria Nesterova. Trained as a chemist and perfumer at ISIPCA in Versailles and Grasse, Nesterova composes every scent in her line of numbered releases, which span editions from №05 through №23 and draw on botanical, gourmand, and molecular concepts.
The Creator
Valerie NesterovaNesterova builds with a chemist's precision and a storyteller's patience. Her work tends toward clean, articulate structures where individual ingredients remain legible rather than dissolving into abstraction.
