Talking To The Moon - parfum

Talking To the Moon captures the bittersweet solitude of drinking alone beneath the moon, inspired by the timeless poem of the Chinese poet Su Shi’s, Prelude to Water Melody. A scent that evokes a sense of impermanence and nostalgia, reminiscent of lost friends and the fleeting nature of life.

Borneol, one of the four traditional Chinese incense ingredients and long used in eternal lamps, joins incense and oakmoss to evoke images of a cool breeze and a bright moon, like the ethereal sensation of drinking under the moonlight. Here, borneol symbolizes the bitter chill of moonlight and the endless night. Sandalwood and orris then introduce a warmer, slower pace and become the turning point, like moonlight filtering through a veil, symbolizing a long, sleepless night.

In the perfumer's view, "regret" is the eye of the entire composition, intense yet resigned. Castoreum is chosen as the heart of the fragrance — a rare, natural animalic note used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat hysteria and insomnia, harnessed here for its emotive qualities to mimic the warm sensation of tears welling up. Contrasted with the sweetness of osmanthus and red bean paste, it creates a bittersweet effect.

Interestingly, the combination of borneol and castoreum produces a distinct ink-like aroma, one the perfumer later discovered to be an unintentional homage to the ancient Chinese practice of blending borneol and musk to create Imperial Ink.

Finally, this perfume concludes with a sense of tranquility, as the moonlight bathes both the mountains and the heart. Cashmeran is used to mimic the silky touch of fabric, offering both self-comfort and solace.

Borneol, Incense, Maotai, Absinthe, Oakmoss, Sandalwood, Orris, Osmanthus, Castoreum, Cashmeran