Carduus Eau de Parfum
from Progressive Botany Vol. I collection
IMPRESSION: Chamomile, Bengal Pepper, Honey, Clary Sage, Sea-holly, Marjoram Tea, Myrtle, Rose Absolute, Vetch, Clove Bud, Hart’s Tongue.
FADE: Tuberose, Musk-thistle, Heliotrope, Tormentil, Mahogany, Cocoa Absolute, Tobacco, Meum, Deertongue, Cherrywood.
Part of the Progressive Botany Vol. I collection, Carduus Eau de Parfum is a dry, incense-smoked herbal bouquet with medicinal anisic qualities. A statement-making Scottish fragrance that warms into something bewitchingly intimate. Moderate in its projection, Carduus leaves a beautiful scented trail behind the wearer.
Setting the Scene: The Season of the Wyse Wemen
Herbs and spices woven with whispered words and filled with intention. Chamomile, clove, clary sage, cocoa – long-used, infused with instinctive wisdom.
Raw Material: Texas Cedarwood
When asked to select a material for our Carduus focus it was difficult to choose – there are so many beautiful materials at play. So, we picked what we deem to be the most important yet perhaps most unassuming material within the formula: Cedarwood oil, Texas.
A huge dosage of Cedar is used in Carduus to ensure the woody sensation becomes more saturated as the fragrance wears. In this instance, this effect was only achievable by using Texas Cedar specifically, which becomes sweeter, increasingly resinous with a slight smoky, cade-like tendril on drying. Texas Cedar has a wonderfully uniform profile which provides linearity when needed.
With that being said, Carduus is not a linear experience – quite the opposite. Once the Texas Cedar shines through prominently, the wearing becomes resolutely woody and saturated, incense-like and ethereal which is contrary to the opening experience which is dense and complex.
Texas Cedar has a higher percentage of Cedrol (ca. 20%) than its North American cousin Virginian Cedarwood (as low as 3/4% - max. 14% Cedrol). Cedrol possesses a rich and expanding quality that is a pure representation of heartwood. Often we use pure Cedrol (natural isolate) to build out a wood note with little additions of natural Cedarwood oils to add complexity but without dominating a busier formulation. With Carduus no additional Cedrol was added, we wanted the pure Texas Cedar extract to work really hard and allow it to dry out as characteristically as possible. Allowing all of the sympathetic wooden harmonics to really resonate gives Carduus a unique wearing experience that is close and comforting, yet ethereal.
