The Story Behind No. 18 Iris Ensata
This perfume is especially meaningful to me because it was originally curated for my own wedding. As Iris is my favourite flower, I've made it the theme of my wedding last year. I decided to blend a special Iris perfume as a gift for my guests.
The first iris fragrance I really liked was Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue — that soft, powdery iris that feels so classical and beautifully balanced. I initially wanted to go in a similar powdery direction, but once I started working with real orris materials, I fell in love with the rooty, earthy side of orris root instead. That cool, silver quality completely shifted my vision.
Previous travels also inspired me. Seeing water irises blooming by the lakes and Ogata Kōrin’s stunning iris gold screens made me dream of something more noble yet demure - the kind of quiet, refined scent a literati might wear while writing alone at night. I always think that Irises should be paired on a golden screen.
I started off blending around June 2025 and the first version I gave to my guests in my wedding in October was quite vegetal. It had a fresh, green, cucumber feel. Interestingly, some guests told me they picked up a clear ink element in it — something I hadn’t even thought of adding at the time. I decided to keep that ink note because it felt meaningful and carries a symbolism of 'eternal vows'.
After several adjustments, the current No. 18 Iris Ensata finally came together. I kept the fresh, vegetal soul while adding a richer orris root character and a slightly more floral iris touch. It now has that cool, introspective “literati” feeling — elegant, gender-neutral, and quietly noble.
Due to my fondness for Iris, I am very particular of this scent and the feeling it emits. At one point I almost purchased every methyl ionone, every orris/iris/violet material available on the market just to understand their differences — it was an intense but incredibly valuable olfactory exercise. I eventually found my favorite ones and overdosed it here. Of course I also put in the very precious orris butter and orris absolute, plus some unrelated but enhancing notes that helped everything click. All good things take time.
This fragrance doesn’t blast out strongly, it radiates quietly with a demure, refined feel that the wearer can sense — I found it especially beautiful with black clothes.
I would like to dedicate No. 18 Iris Ensata to those who quietly devote their entire lives to mastering a single craft and live each day to their fullest.
Jo
April 2026
