Past

Past is the first scent of the TIME trio from the London house Aequill, made, in the brand's words, by performance and theatre artist Mengting Zhuo. It is built around memory: a feeling of gentle nostalgia, not for any one place or person, and looking back without regret. It opens on citrusy woods weathered by time, with a soft lift of orange, a powdery touch of violet and a green leaf with a slightly bitter edge. Jasmine sits at the heart, airy and controlled, with lily of the valley for freshness and basil for a herbal edge. The base is dry, clean cedarwood with cypress for green sharpness and moss for an earthy, forest-like depth. The smoke is subtle, more like incense in the air or the last traces of a fire than anything heavy. Wear is close to the skin. The brand says it evolves slowly and suits people who prefer intimacy over projection. There are no wearer votes yet, and the only rating we found, from a decant seller, is middling at 3 out of 5. By its notes it suits autumn and winter, and moves easily from day into the evening. It is less at home in a hot summer office or at the gym. Each bottle comes with a playful original score written by the artist. It sells for 136 pounds in the brand's shop, and a decant seller lists the bottle at 50 ml. It suits anyone who likes a restrained, modern take on smoky woods; with no reviews to lean on, try a sample first.