Coming January 2026.

ISLAND has a cool-spicy incense vibe but the island it refers to isn’t tropical, it’s Manhattan. It was intended to portray NYC at night, specifically the experience of a cab ride home with lights and bridges drifting past against the night sky.

ISLAND is another early fragrance (2012) recently reconsidered. It has really held up well over time and seem more impressive in hindsight, considering it was completed fairly early in my journey to becoming a perfumer. At the time it was intended to be somewhat commercial and ‘contemporary’ but done in my own style. It fails spectacularly as anything resembling commercial fragrance but as some have pointed out it captures the intensity of a freshly snuffed-out cigarette, thanks to the combination of a funky juniper and tobacco accord. This could have been the future of ‘niche’ perfumery if niche hadn’t gone all in on strength through woody-amber and sweet aromachemicals - and still could be, assuming larger brands continue following my work.

Because the original ‘scaled up’ batch from 2012 was so small there was no way to offer it even as a limited release. Samples of the original have now been superseded by this new batch/version, which seems improved by the necessary substitution of my replacer for the original green peppercorn essential oil, a ubiquitous material in early fragrances that was especially prominent in this one.

Samples are available in the Discovery Stash. Individual samples are now available for a limited time, postage paid (select the size below).