Masque Milano has gained a well-earned reputation as a launching pad for young talent- a brand that takes chances on up-and-coming noses and gives them the freedom to discover their creative voices. So when they met IFF trainee Fanny Bal, apprenticing under the legendary Dominique Ropion, and heard of her facility and ingenuity with vetiver, a seed was planted. And who better to dedicate a scent built around vetiver- rough and spicy, earthy and sweet, rich and complex- than Ernest Hemingway?
With access to the full resources of the Laboratoire Monique Remy, Bal produces a sweepingly literary tribute to vetiver built from an exquisite vocabulary: woody, dry and spicy Haitian vetiver, with a slight bitterness, provides ideal contrast for the tart rhubarb of the opening. Javan vetiver is dirtier, with smoky tones and leathery facets to blend with the patchouli and leather base. And proprietary Vetiver Heart LMR, which takes hydro-distilled vetiver and puts it through additional fractional distillation to isolate the clean, dry heart of the grassy material without the earthiness, anchors the heart of the fragrance.
