Collection Grands Crus - Selva do Brazil

The petitgrain arrives with aggressive vegetal intensity—not just citrus peel, but crushed leaves, bitter stems, and green sap. It's almost sharp in its freshness, like walking through rain-soaked foliage where every surface releases its oils at once. Within minutes, a subtle peppery heat begins threading through the brightness.

The tonka bean emerges with earthy richness, but this isn't dessert tonka—it's darker, almost roasted, with hints of dried tobacco leaf and hay. The petitgrain's bitterness hasn't disappeared; instead, it interweaves with the tonka's warmth, creating this fascinating push-pull between bright and shadowy. The gaiac wood starts adding its distinctive pencil-shaving dryness, grounding everything with subtle smoke.

What remains is a skin-close veil of woody warmth—the gaiac's medicinal, slightly peppery character now dominant, with just enough tonka sweetness to keep it from going austere. The green notes have long faded, leaving behind something quietly resinous and contemplative, like standing in a woodworker's studio scattered with shavings from exotic hardwoods.