Tubereuse

When we think of tuberose in perfume, we often think of the version most perfumers like to emphasize: its nocturnal version, when it exudes its most intense scent. More discreet and docile during the day, the flower some call “The Queen of the Night” emerges from its slumber when it’s dark out to emit a deep and almost animalic aroma.

In Tubéreuse, Mona di Orio creates what she calls a “twilight tuberose, ” greener and fresher than its headier nocturnal incarnations but still intoxicating and rich. It opens with a beautiful and peppery burst of bergamot and green notes, which almost gives tuberose the quality of having been tamed and made more transparent after a refreshing light rain.

Soon, the unmistakably narcotic tuberose slinks its way forward, flanked by creamy notes from benzoin and amber matched with a milky nuttiness from heliotrope and coconut. Along with Tubéreuse’s top notes, the occasional sharp floral facet from heliotrope joins with tuberose’s green facets, balancing out its creamy and musky base notes.

More approachable than its more femme fatale counterparts, Tubéreuse nevertheless seduces. Perfect for tuberose fans that want a lighter, friendlier, more verdant interpretation of the flower.