Migration de L’Arbre by Senyokô is a fragrance based on a sad yet hopeful Japanese short story from the 1930s about the friendship between a bird and a tree.
Before migrating to warmer lands for winter, the bird promises she will return and sing for the tree again as soon as the new spring arrives. Upon its return, the bird discovers that the tree is now just a stump and its wood has been used to light a lantern. The bird starts to sing for the lantern’s flickering flame, which, in turn, dances for the bird. New buds begin to grow from the stump, giving birth to new trees.
A fragrance I would describe as lyrical and expressive, Migration de L’Arbre is a tribute to the power of long-lasting friendships, memories, and gratitude, despite life’s transience. It is also an ode to nature’s ability to regenerate and delicately balance the interaction between its elements.
The opening is zesty, green, and herbaceous with notes of yuzu, grapefruit, clary sage, and juniper. I am transported to a walk through a forest, its paths speckled with berry bushes. I smell a blaze of woods and a burst of tangy fruits.
At the heart, I find the pomegranate note to be prominent and exceptionally realistic. This note usually comes through as artificially syrupy in several fragrances I have tried, but here it’s crisp, tart, and juicy – as if you were plucking and enjoying the succulent seeds right off the fruit.
Also, this is the first time I encountered Nigella damascena as a perfume note. I discovered that its seed oil aroma is both woody and fruity, which seems to nicely fit my olfactory perception of the fragrance’s theme.
Floral notes of lemony magnolia and apricot-like osmanthus along with pine-like elemi finely adorn the arboreal elements of the fragrance’s heart.
The woody and herbal character along with the fruity accents persist throughout the fragrance’s life and the dry down features notes of ambergris, seaweed, balsams, and tobacco, in addition to other wood types – I perceive an overall dry and aromatic structure, but I do not clearly distinguish these notes.
Migration de L’Arbre’s bucolic character beautifully mirrors the equilibrium we so often encounter and admire in nature.
“In winter, I just paint myself in green; green is the woodcutter’s song on the cliff.” – A note from the brand.
Senyokô is a Parisian fragrance brand with a Japanese flare that was founded by Joseph and Eglantine Berthion in honor of their daughter Emilie. The packaging is black and white with red accents to showcase Asian esthetics. Created by the talented Scottish perfumer Euan McCall, Migration de L’Arbre was shortlisted as a finalist at the 6th annual Art and Olfaction Awards in 2019, under the independent category. Euan McCall also designed the other fragrances for the line. (Read more about them here)
The line’s packaging is one of the best I’ve seen, with beautiful bottles, boxes, and hand-drawn artwork.
The notes are listed as they appear on the brand’s website:
Top Notes clary sage absolute, juniper absolute, cedrat, grapefruit & yuzu
Heart Notes elemi, mastic, guaiac, magnolia, osmanthus, pomegranate & Nigella damascena absolute
Base Notes ambergris, tobacco absolute, seaweed absolute, vetiver, cabreuva, patchouli, fir balsam, cedar, oakwood & deertongue
Migration de L’Arbre is available as Eau de Parfum in 50 ml bottles on the brand’s website and in select stores.
I reviewed the fragrance from a full bottle I won during a kind giveaway at The Scent Room, a niche perfume store in Dallas, TX.
Photos are my own.
