Babylon 過於寂寞的喧囂

15/30ml 

25% Extrait Concentration 

The Forth creation from our Berlin Map Series.

Backstory:

After spending some time in the neighborhood of Neukolln, I get to appreciate this place more and see the diversity this area embodies. It wasn't love at first sight for me, and it wasn't love at second sight either. It's a place where you need time to chew on, and of course you will need good companies in this area when exploring the "hood". Luckily, I have them to guide me.

The reason for the name Babylon may come across negative, but my intention is definitely not to portray it with negativity. What I want to present is the district that holds so many cultural differences, but altogether somehow works in harmony in its own special way.

The night life in Neukolln is famous for being crowded with people, and noise. Cars speeding on the road, alcoholic and drug use problems are scattered all over the city, and ambulances run in and out in Neukolln. At times, it was to a point I seem to have reached my limit and lost my orientation, "where am I?", but the sun shines through the window the next day proves to me it's a clear sign that I'm still A-Okay

It's magical how Berlin can make a person fantasize, and believing it is fueled with endless possibilities, and yet unknowingly committed to loneliness. Guess it's always like this in big cities, who knows?

Scents:

Sour, sweet, and juicy fruits with a combination of dates is what comes to mind in the first place. If you were born and raised in Taiwan you'd probably associate this kind of smell with dry plums, or in that ballpark.

Slowly, hints of milky creaminess appears, as the pungent of dates mellows into the background. The added milk tea in the note blends smoothly with the tobacco leaves and tobacco absolute. The hay note here emphasizes the dryness of the leafy tobacco, but also adds another layer to the scent.

The spices that we associate a lot with the Islamic culture is a key to this blend. As we travel into the dry down of Babylon, vanilla and the Cambodian Oud accord I build for this scent gets more of an attention. Normally with Cambodian Oud accord it may seem overly animalic and slightly pissy, but with the added maple syrup, vanilla, and white honey - which offers a cleaner, creamier, softer rendition to the base, Babylon is a more balanced cognition to the senses. 

This is to me a scent that speaks of the culture of shisha, and it's importance to the immigrants in Neukolln.

If you are familiar with shisha, and know how it operates in scents, you'd find this close to home.

Notes:

Dates, Burley Tobacco, Cannabis Accord, Tobacco Absolute Virginia, Jasmine Sambac Absolute, Hay Absolute LMR, Ginger, Cinnamon Cylon, Mysore Sandalwood (Very precious!), Clove Bud, Anise Egypt, Cardamom Guatemala, Cedarwood, Cambodian Oud Accord, Coumarin, Maple Syrup, White Honey, Woody Notes, Milk Tea, Leather, Animalic Musk  

背景故事：

在紐寇恩區（Neukölln）待了一陣子，我漸漸學會欣賞這裡的多樣性。
對我而言，這不是一見鍾情的地方，看第二眼也很難愛上，需要花時間不斷咀嚼品味。
好的旅伴也不可或缺，幸好我有朋友引導。

「巴比倫」這名字可能會帶來負面聯想，但我並不想將它描繪得如此消極。
在我眼中的紐寇恩是個充斥著文化差異的地區，但這些文化以特別的方式和諧共存。

紐寇恩的夜生活燈紅酒綠，擁擠而喧囂。來往的車輛飛速行駛，酒精和毒品隨處可見，救護車的鳴笛聲此起彼伏。有時，我彷彿已達到極限，迷失方向，「我在哪裡」？但第二天陽光透過窗戶灑在我的臉上，卻又清楚地向我證明，一切還是好好的。

柏林是一座有著魔力的城市，讓人幻想，相信他的無盡可能，卻又在不知不覺中將人推向孤寂的黑暗之中。也許大城市便是如此，又未嘗可知？

氣味描述：

最先端到面前的是酸甜多汁的水果，伴隨著椰棗的甜蜜氣息。對於台灣人而言，這有些像話梅，或是類似的味道。隨著時間推移，一絲絲奶油般的香氣開始浮現，而棗子逐漸退居幕後。順滑的奶茶混合著菸葉的氣味流淌而來。乾草增強了菸葉的乾燥感，也為香水疊加了更多的喧囂層次。

常與伊斯蘭文化聯繫的香料是這支作品中的關鍵。隨著進入Babylon的尾聲，我特意加入的香草和柬埔寨沉香會更顯奪目。通常柬埔寨沉香更多展現動物性氣味，甚至會帶一絲尿味。但在添加了楓糖漿、香草和白蜂蜜後，為整體的基調帶來更乾淨、柔和的奶油感，呈現更加平衡的感官詮釋。

對我而言，過於寂寞的喧囂講述了水煙文化以及它對紐寇恩移民的重要性。如果你熟悉水煙，這款香水會讓你似曾相識。

香調：

椰棗 柏萊菸葉 大麻Accord 維吉尼亞菸草原精 沙巴茉莉原精 奶茶 薑 錫蘭肉桂 邁索檀木 丁香 埃及洋茴香 瓜地馬拉小荳蔻 雪松 柬埔寨沉香Accord 香豆素 楓糖漿 乾草原精LMR 白蜂蜜 木質元素 皮革 動物麝香