For the Scent of It Forsaken Peony bottle, courtesy of the brand
“What a riot of brilliant purple and tender crimson” – Tang Xianzu, The Peony Pavilion, 1598
Peony Flower and Peony Pavilion Chinese Opera collage, by Rachel K. Ng via unsplash
Peony flowers hold a powerful place in Chinese culture, from Imperial gardens to great legends. China’s greatest romantic opera, The Peony Pavilion, tells the story of a beautiful girl who falls in love with a handsome scholar she meets in a dream. This story of forbidden love is set in a garden of peonies in full bloom. Known as the “King of Flowers (in China),” the peony was adored most during the Tang Dynasty, China’s cultural golden age, as a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
Michel Schrammel Courtesy of the brand
I was delighted to learn that small-batch artisan perfumery For the Scent of It has reissued one of its most accomplished floral scents, a take of one of our favorite flowers, Forsaken Peony. Perfumer (and ÇaFleureBon Notes From The Lab contributor) Michael Schrammel has been inspired by this breathtaking bloom. For the Scent of It Forsaken Peony in a limited run.
According to Michael, “Forsaken Peony was one of the first 5 fragrances released at For the Scent of It. After being discontinued in 2022, and several requests from people to bring it back, it has returned this summer. As a matter of fact, its inception began on a summer day back in 2019. I was walking the dog down the street and took notice of someone’s garden. It was a garden full of red roses surrounding a shrub of peony. The sunlight made the peony stand out bright pink, almost fluorescent. It looked as if the peony was lost & screaming to be seen above a sea of roses. It was from this idea – an attention seeking peony – that Forsaken Peony was born. I knew I wanted its voice to be heard above all else in the perfume.”
Yun Shouping, Peonies, Qing Dynasty wiki
For the Scent of It Forsaken Peony opens with a sunny bergamot note paired with litchi fruit that together lift the dry woody aspects of litchi skin in a way that recalls rustic bramble of a country garden. They combine brilliantly to enhance the floral nuances of one another, imparting a fresh naturalness right from the start. The peony accord is lush and sweetly spicy. Citrus and rose float around the peony accord, weaving shades of flesh and blush-colored pinks throughout the scent. Iris provides more layers of canopy, translucent and gauzy like the silky petals of the peony flower itself.
The base of For the Scent of It Forsaken Peony adds the magical colors of dusk into our garden of peonies. Golden amber and incense create the sense of smelling peonies during sunset, as the rich shades of peony petals seems to bleed into the sky, turning the world crimson and dusty pink. Shadings of cinnamon, clove, pepper, and balsamic smoky nuances slowly rise from the base, wrapping the peony accord in their incense and amber warmth. A musk accord creates a floating feeling, wrapping our garden in a kind of magical space that few are allowed to enter. For the Scent of It Forsaken Peony is a journey into magical, romantic gardens that few have a chance to experience – grab it while you can!
Notes: bergamot, litchi (Magnolan®), peony, rose, iris, incense, amber, musk
Disclaimer: bottle my own, opinions my own.
~ Rachel K. Ng, Editor
For the Scent of It Forsaken Peony bottle by Rachel
Thanks to the generosity of For the Scent of It and Michael Schrammel, we have a 30 ml bottle of Forsaken Peony for one registered reader in the CONTINENTAL USA ONLY. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest based on Rachel’s review and where you live. Draw closes 8/22/2024
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Michelyn awarded Michael Schrammel of For The Scent of It Best Discovery of 2022,
Contributor Sandi Lundberg awarded Dreaming in Tonka a top ten of 2023
Michael Schrammel is 168th in our American Perfumer Series
Read Michael Schrammel’s Perfumer’s Deep Dive into Vanilla in his excellent Notes From The Lab post.
Check out Rachel’s review of For the Scent of It Gardenia Colada
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