I’m not sure of the original release date, it could be earlier. There was batch released in 2019.
‘Vetiver is polarising in fragrance. Some people find it to be the key ingredient to either a romantic or masculine basenote that adds a layer of perfection to any scent. To others, like myself, it is often too bitter or earthy, distracting from the rest of the notes with its loud harshness. Things move into complexity when one considers that different vetivers from different regions, as well as how they are distilled, change the profile of the scent dramatically, but here is where Aroha d’Afrique enters.
This is a pure vetiver: no additives, nothing but the essence of the thing itself. You’d think that would be enough for people wary of vetiver like myself to keep their distance but for those who are not normally fans of vetiver hear me out: this is stunning. It opens with a complex profile of slightly bitter, slightly earthy accords, but tempered by a heart of wild grass. It is as if, in the fields of some ancient medieval forest, you crushed a bunch of wild grass and its roots in your hands and inhaled deeply. Such a scent would be strong, beautifully soothing, and immensely nuanced.
There is nothing one-note about Aroha d’Afrique. It is kaleidoscopically complex, playing on the nose with all of its components. As skin’s heat warms it it takes on a slight leathery, nutty note, giving this a scent profile that is as wide-ranging as it is deep. This is vetiver that will please any person wild about this note in fragrances and convert even the most concerned and sceptical. After smelling Aroha d’Afrique I am left with only one lament: despite a rare few exceptions, if only most fragrances used vetiver this gorgeous and complex. It would give an entirely different meaning to the word in perfumery.’- Scented Intuitions
ENSAR OUD