The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Abkhazi debuted in 2017. Laurie Arbuthnot created a unisex composition around jasmine and rose, then anchored it with resinous notes, lavender, oakmoss, and sandalwood. The composition opens with the luminous presence of jasmine and rose before taking on a darker, more textured character. Resinous notes lend depth to the flowers, while lavender cools their brightness and draws attention to the herbal, slightly aromatic facets of the blend. Oakmoss introduces an earthy quality that feels shaded and close to the ground, and sandalwood rounds the composition with a soft woody warmth.
The interesting part is the tension between the floral notes and their woody, mossy structure. Jasmine and rose supply softness, brightness, and a polished surface. Lavender brings a cool herbal edge, while resinous notes introduce depth and a faint sense of incense. Oakmoss and sandalwood then pull the whole composition downward, making it less like a fresh bouquet than a floral scent found beneath trees. That balance gives Abkhazi a distinctly grown-up character, with each main note doing more than simply decorating the others.
The evolution
The first impression is clean and floral, with jasmine and rose holding the upper register in a bright, almost moonlit way. As the opening settles, lavender cools the brightness and resinous notes add a darker thread. The composition doesn't dissolve into sweetness; it gains weight, like flower stems and shaded bark gradually becoming visible beneath the bouquet. Oakmoss becomes the lasting signature during the drydown, giving the scent an earthy, forest-floor character, while sandalwood smooths the edges into something calm and wearable. As the floral notes recede, the fragrance shifts toward a close, woody accord with an understated green and mineral quality. Moss, sandalwood, and the darker resinous facets gradually settle closer to the skin, leaving a smooth finish that remains balanced between shadowed earth and restrained florals.
Cultural impact
Abkhazi is a contemplative woodland composition suited to people drawn to white florals with a darker, more grounded finish. Jasmine and rose establish a clear floral opening, while lavender and resinous notes gradually temper the brightness with cooler herbal and resinous facets. Oakmoss becomes more prominent as the fragrance develops, bringing an earthy forest-floor character, and sandalwood gives the final impression a calm, close, quietly polished shape. Its appeal lies in the way floral clarity and shaded woods remain in balance, creating an intimate atmosphere that rewards attention without becoming loud or overly sweet.
The House
Wild Coast PerfumeryWild Coast Perfumery lives on Vancouver Island, where the Pacific rain‑forest meets the sea. Since 2017 the studio has turned British Columbia’s wild places into scent stories that arrive in modest, glass bottles. Each fragrance carries a geographic name—Tofino, Carmanah, Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Island Wildflower, Saltspring, Abkhazi, Saturna—so the wearer can recall a specific shoreline, mountain or meadow. The brand relies on plant‑based ingredients, hand‑blending, and a patient aging process that lets natural aromatics settle before bottling. The result is a line of scents that feel rooted in the region’s ecology rather than in a laboratory.
The Creator
Laurie ArbuthnotArbuthnot works with natural botanical materials, building compositions that feel textural, green and quietly distinctive. Her signature lies in evocation rather than decoration: a perfume can capture a coastline, a forest floor or a remembered afternoon through carefully chos…
