Dharan is a city in eastern Nepal; its name derives from the Sanskrit word Dharana, a meditative focus on the divine. Dharan is unmistakable for its sophisticated freshness and floral muskiness. Boldly feminine but not at all girly; clean, austere and somewhat linear, it projects bitter-fresh and green facets that balance its musky-floral cedar body and prevent it from becoming heavy, sharp or stale. The drydown on skin is seriously sexy but also elegant and clean. This also works for some men as a more formal fragrance.

This is one of his compositions that our perfumer is most proud of in terms of its boldness, cohesiveness and originality. It’s not for everyone but for people who appreciate its bitter-green floralcy and fresh muskiness, it’s essential. Performance and projection are pretty stellar considering it’s not sweet or animalic.

The notes evoke Nepal and Buddhism generally: peppermint, rhododendron leaves (rhododendron is Nepal’s national flower but is odorless), geranium, nutmeg, pink lotus, jasmine, wild rose, Himalayan cedarwood, white musks and ambergris. In addition, yuzu contributes a citrus quality to the bitter freshness of the opening.