Between Two Trees Floraïku 2017 Eau de Parfum

As part of the Shadowing collection, this scent was made for combining with other fragrances -Floraiku avoids calling it layering for some reason- but it actually it works perfectly fine as a stand-alone perfume.

What starts as a sharp vetiver infused with ginger and grapefruit, slowly begins to warm up as a smooth vanilla emerges. There is a thin layer of tea dust with a fine suede-like texture that connects the cold and warm elements.

I have had some bad experiences with fragrances that combine the freshness of vetiver with the warmth of vanilla, but in Between Two Trees I find there is a smooth transition from one into the other rather than the two existing side by side. The end state is incredibly mellow, maybe lacking a bit of excitement, but of absolute quality. Good for office and daily wear, I suppose. Or for layering.

Between Two Trees by Floraiku is one of my favorite fragrances, instantly creating a calm and mysterious mood. The opening surprises with grapefruit, which is fresh and very natural. Mate quickly blends in, which is the absolute highlight for me. It smells like roasted tea and makes the fragrance dry and pleasantly smoky. I don't usually like smoky notes in fragrances, but here it fits very well and is pleasant in the background.

Finally, a wonderful vetiver remains on the skin, which is earthy and woody, like a walk in the forest. I like to wear it when I want to be focused, as it is present but not overpowering. It is the perfect balance of freshness and depth.

In my opinion, it's great for everyday wear without needing a special occasion.

A brilliant fragrance for anyone who likes woody and elegant scents.

The price is reasonable for the 100ml bottle, but with the 50ml bottle, you're paying a lot extra for the bottle design.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Stale cigarette smoke/ashtray on first spray, and stays that way till I can’t stand it any more and scrub it off. I get no lemon whatsoever. Ugh! I can’t figure out what the heck is making it smell like this, but this same thing happened to me with Atelier Cologne’s Clementine California. Is it the mate? Sometimes that goes wrong on me, but it’s just fine in Floraiku’s The Moon and I, where it smells like black tea. I have no idea. Clearly it’s my skin chemistry, because it seems to be fine on other people here!

The fragrance opens with absolutely stunning combination of woods, grapefruit and leather, softened by sweet kardamom. The mate note is also very present and pleasant. Fresh, elegant, very masculine leaning. This for me is the embodiment of strong yet delicate man.
However, bit by bit the notes start to fade after ~30min and about 2-3 hours into drydown you are left with fairly simple vetiver, not dissimilar to Terre d'Hermes. It's really a pitty, it does not keep a bit more of the woods/leather combo to the deeper drydown.
Sillage is medium, not a room filling fragrance and longevity (given the above evolution) is comfortable 8 hours.

There's a sparkly citrus up top that very, very quickly dries down to a smoky, earthy cloud, with a wee bit of rubber in it. Like someone kicked up dust and gravel at me as they drove off, leaving me behind in the desert. There's also a strong base of barbershop, like the person driving off just came by to offer other desert dwellers a shave. There's a lot going on here, and I do find it more compelling than confusing. You have to be OK with smelling like dirt. I'm curious to see if it continues to develop, or if it will die down in this dusty fougère type place.

EDIT: Oh my, the final drydown on this is absolutely delicious. Still retains some of the fougère qualities, but undercut with a warm, luminous sweetness from resins. Wow. This might be the ultimate nonbinary perfume. I'm in love.