Fresh fragrance find: Aesop's new Hwyl

I have been a long time wearer of Aesop’s Marrakech fragrance, both in its original incarnation and as the heavenly Marrakech Intense, which was the most beautiful tweak on the original. Marrakech Intense was created in collaboration with revered French perfumer Barnabé Fillion, and their intention was to develop a variation of the original theme, but one that remained true to its original inspirations – the sights, scents, colours and culture of Morocco. I didn’t think the brand could great a fragrance equally as perfect – that is, until now.

Next week sees the global release of Hwyl Eau de Parfum, a unisex scent inspired by the stillness and greenery of ancient Japanese Forests. Hwyl Eau de Parfum was created once again in collaboration with Fillion, who has said that his sweet spot when creating the scent came to him when he walked through a 300-year-old woodland in Japan. It led him to create an Eau de Parfum with smoky notes as well as aromas of wood, moss and robust spices.

“My inspiration for Hwyl Eau de Parfum was sparked by walking amongst the remarkable 300-year-old Hiba trees in an ancient Japanese forest and experiencing the country’s lush temple moss gardens,” Fillion explains. “Hwyl recaptures the feeling of solitude and refuge in nature, and stimulates the olfactory senses with an eclectic array of potent botanical extracts.”

“Barnabé is a perfumer we deeply admire and he understands that Aesop’s fragrance philosophy combines art and science to formulate unique scents with longevity,” said Dr. Kate Forbes, Aesop General Manager, Products and R&D. “Our relationship with Barnabé is built on a passion for botanicals, enriching conversation and intuition, not creating a fragrance by brief or numbers. We shared creative ideas and inspiration throughout the collaborative process, and focused on sourcing botanical extracts of the finest quality to formulate Hwyl, an intriguing fragrance with a hint of eccentricity.”

Two years in the making, it is an absolute joy to be in the presence of, and being Aesop, every detail is just right. Hwyl comes packaged in a 50ml amber glass bottle, which sits elegantly in a box featuring the work of Australian artist Jonathan McCabe. RRP $160… and worth every cent.