HIRAM GREEN
HYDE
2018
PERFUMER
Hiram Green
lemon
bergamot
birch tar
cassie
labdanum
vanilla
oakmoss
‘Hyde is a sensual and addictively mesmerising leather-themed fragrance. Hyde opens with a strong burst of bright lemon and bergamot. These cheerful notes then clash with the dry and sharp scent of birch tar, reminiscent of burned wood – and cassie, an opulent flower with intense green and spicy nuances. Both form a vibrant leather note with powerful depth and intense appeal. This beating heart is embraced by a warm and elegant base of smoky labdanum and malt vanilla melting into earthy oakmoss. Seductive and challenging, Hyde is an ode to all those adventure-seeking souls – a unisex fragrance perfect for day and night.’ – Hiram Green
Hyde is Hiram’s award-winning release and it represents one of my earliest ‘challenging’ niche experiences that has always stuck with me.
What does Hyde represent? I don’t know the answer, but the first connection that I make is with Edward Hyde, which makes sense upon initially smelling the fragrance. It only becomes clear after several hours, that a dr. Jekyll is hidden here. For me, the dichotomous nature is the key to Hyde. You have to embrace it’s daring nature, to see it’s full potential.
It’s a marriage of challenging and soothing, of rays of light through smoke, of an artwork set ablaze. It’s melancholy, or even regaining equilibrium to move forward in stride. It may trigger an uneasiness if you’re not prepared for it, like looking at a Francis Bacon painting or exploring the atonality of Schnittke. You might not love it immediately and it might not be the type of art to seek out, when you’re just getting your feet wet. But guaranteed it will leave a longer lasting impression, than an unabashedly amical piece of art that you instantly like.
It’s not until your eyes adjust to the darkness, that a new world opens right under your nose. Without contrast things become dull and that’s one thing nobody can ever say about Hyde. It’s a journey. It’s when the scorching turns into a comfortable warmth. When the initial shock, turns into a comforting blanket. When life is sweet, yet again.
In a less poetic fashion: Hyde starts off with a huge dose of birch tar. It at times reminded me of tires burning in a desolate forest. In my time having the bottle, I mostly layered it with a strong vanilla scent to make the first hours sweeter. What proceeds is a 20 hour long transition into ever more soothing incense. Hyde at its best smells exactly like the incense that burns in the tattoo shop I go to and it’s very comforting. It’s a fragrance that I eventually let go off, because wearability was an issue for my taste, but it’s an experience I’m more than happy to have had.
