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The Top Note | Vol. 12 — You’re Evolving

Community · Luxury · Art · Perfume

The Top Note is our weekly fragrance journal from The Taliaferro, released every Thursday evening. Each volume explores scent through storytelling, culture, memory, and intentional living.

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Opening Note

A short note for evolving people

Don’t let that mirror confuse you.
You really could be looking at a new you.

Don’t let your past compel you or derail you.
Don’t let a new season be sabotaged by old reasons.

It’s a new day.
You have to look at life—
and yourself—
in a new way.

They see your smile, shape, and color,
but they’ve never seen your heartbeat.

So don’t put too much pressure on yourself,
and don’t stay stuck in a room
looking at your past on a shelf.

Move on.
You’re evolving…

— from an evolved man

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Featured Fragrance: S.S.J

I have always had a desire to create a special collection of scents that are deeply sacred and personally meaningful to me—pieces I would eventually choose to share with the world. Think of it as a personal library or archive, if you will.

S.S.J is one of the first launches from this exclusive collection, which may include exclusive products added over time, or even hidden releases at certain moments.

This scent is incredibly special to me. It was most notably experienced at a large retail shopping event in NYC last year, where the feedback was remarkable. The ingredients of this scent, as well as the meaning behind its acronym, are known only to three clients. In that sense, this launch was a public secret, if you will.

🛒 Explore S.S.J →

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Client Spotlight

“Ethereal — It has some favorite notes—frankincense, amber, woody vanilla, skin-like musk, and white florals—befitting for honoring one of my favorite humans ever.

Upon first spray, I smell a rich, resinous frankincense accord, reminding me of church and things honorable and foreboding. It becomes even deeper with the amber, but also smooth and sweet with a woody vanilla. And just when you think it might be getting too dark and heavy, the white florals enter, adding airy levity.

This is a beautiful fragrance that balances light and dark, heavy and light, gorgeously.”

— Janelle D.

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The Blend — Limited & Small-Batch Fragrance

Not every fragrance is meant to be produced endlessly. In niche perfumery, certain scents are intentionally released in small batches or limited collections.

This approach allows perfumers to work with rarer ingredients, maintain artistic integrity, and preserve the emotional intention behind a fragrance. Some scents are meant for specific seasons, moments, or audiences—rather than mass replication.

Limited releases aren’t about scarcity for hype’s sake—they’re about stewardship, meaning, and respecting the story a fragrance carries.

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Community Connection

Shout out to Iconic Coffee, a Black-owned café in the heart of Hackensack. Yours truly was graced to visit this past week and meet the owner, who came across as kind, humble, and genuinely welcoming.

The drinks and eats were amazing—the vibe and classy aesthetics sold me immediately. The “Feel Better” tea did exactly what it promised, and the artistically crafted avocado toast caught me completely off guard (in the best way). I’ll admit—I need to up my café game. Smile.

If you stop by, tell them The Taliaferro sent you.

📍 Iconic Coffee on Instagram →
🌐 Visit their website →

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Closing Note

“You can look through these cracks and find /
you can look at the past of my life /
I got memories”
— Franchesca, “Memories”

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Explore more volumes of The Top Note:
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