21 L’Air du Jardin Caché

L’Air du Jardin Caché means the hidden garden, and the scent behaves like one. Aldehydes and bergamot open with a fizz, a bright prickle that clears the way for hyacinth, which takes the lead in the heart: heady, green and a little cool. Rose and violet sit around it, tender rather than sweet. Geranium adds a crisp leafy edge and a dew-drop note keeps everything damp and fresh, like a garden path after rain. This is the electricity Andy Tauer's 'Tauerade' style is known for, old-fashioned florals with a lift in them. The base is quiet. Musk, sandalwood, cedar and benzoin give a powdery softness, and ambroxan adds a clean, lasting glow. It stays for a long time and projects at a moderate level, so it keeps going through an evening without crowding anyone. Spring is its natural home, though it manages the other seasons gracefully. It is elegant enough for formal occasions, light enough for a day out, and distinctive enough that you will not smell like everyone else in the room.