Gypsy Water

Scent Profile

Top notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Pepper, Juniper Berries

Heart notes: Incense, Orris Root, Pine Needles, Sandalwood

Base notes: Amber, Vanilla, Sandalwood, Musk

Why We Carry This

Gypsy Water remains one of the most immediately recognizable Byredo compositions, and the reason is the incense-pine-orris heart: three notes that should compete but instead create something that smells like cold forest air and something burning at a respectful distance. The amber-vanilla base is what makes it wearable rather than merely interesting. A 2008 composition that still holds.

Character

Accords: Woody, Aromatic, Fresh, Incense, Sweet, Resinous

Perfumer: Jerome Epinette

Launched: 2008

Gypsy Water opens with bergamot and lemon over pepper and juniper, the combination giving the opening a fresh-aromatic quality that pine needles deepen toward the resinous. The incense heart is the composition's center, orris root giving the frankincense-like accord a cool, powdery quality that prevents the forest-fire register from becoming oppressive. Amber and sandalwood in the base are warm and smooth, vanilla threading through as a quiet sweetness that holds the drydown in a long, skin-close warmth. The Romany freedom that inspired it is present in the restlessness of the note arc.