Image Credit: Unsplash via Wafer WAN

The Top Note | Vol. 22

Community · Luxury · Art · Perfume

Welcome back to The Top Note — your weekly fragrance letter sent every Thursday evening.

Opening Note

“You don’t need to be everybody’s cup of tea, for it was by divine design that you would be a few people’s vodka, with a splash of cocoa.”

— quoted by HT

Featured: The Taliaferro Gift Card

Did you know we had gift cards at The Taliaferro? Check it out here!

Client Spotlight

(Review of Sampler Kit) Ultra Discovery Set Delight

“A discovery set is the perfect introduction to an online brand. I purchased the Ultra Discovery Set because it contained all of the scents I wanted to try. The sample vials dispense healthy sprays of each fragrance, so no issues there. Regarding the 11 fragrances I tried, 5 of them were not for me, but the other 6 smelled fantastic with 2 true standouts. I can't stand gardenia, but Capture is the first fragrance I've encountered that almost makes me like it. The gardenia note weaves throughout the scent in a graceful & unobtrusive way say I could almost see myself wearing it. The true & most mind-blowing standouts for me are Queen Harriet (tart fruity goodness) & Cloud 9 (elegant deliciousness). I guess I need to make room on my dresser for those! Honorable mention goes to B. E. D. The opening notes demanded my attention & wouldn't let go in the most surprising way. The drydown morphed into something familiar, yet different enough to consider purchasing. I'll add it to my wishlist for future consideration.”

— Kecia S.

The Blend — Coffee in Fragrance

The scent of coffee in perfumery is magnetic.

It can be bold and dark like an espresso shot, creamy and comforting like a latte, or subtly roasted and warm in the background of a composition. Coffee blends beautifully with:

• Vanilla and tonka bean for sweetness and warmth
• Cocoa and chocolate notes for depth and indulgence
• Tobacco and leather for richness and edge
• Amber and woods for longevity and smooth drydown
• Cardamom or cinnamon for a subtle spicy lift

When done well, coffee doesn’t overpower — it lures. It creates intimacy, warmth, and intrigue.

Community Connection

The Garden: A Perfume Discovery Experience
The Blacknose Lab at Savoir Faire
Sat, Mar 28 at 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM (EDT)

We call it The Garden because it's where you grow into more of who you already are. You come as you are, explore scents, and leave with one that's yours. No one tells the wildflower to behave like the orchid. We don't ask you to be anyone but yourself.

4 hours. 20+ Black-owned fragrances. Cocktails, live DJ, and a scent that finally feels like YOU.

Link to purchase tix and learn more →

“I say, play your own way. Don’t play what the public wants. You play what you want and let the public pick up on what you’re doing – even if it does take them fifteen, twenty years”
— Thelonious Monk

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