Wit & West Caldera Flower

Wit & West are back with Caldera Flower, a heavenly and decadent floral fragrance that draws inspiration from the lush beauty of the Baru National Park in Chiriquí, Panama. This is one of the many travel destinations in Whitney “Wit” Swales and Rob “West” Westendorf’s full and exciting life, a trip that created cherished and fond memories. The fragrance joins La Valse, Gardenia ‘Ono, and The Violetear as part of the brand’s Reserve Collection.

With the launch of Caldera Flower, Wit & West wanted to pay respect to nature’s vitality. To show their dedication to conservation, they are collaborating with Mother of Corals, a nonprofit organization committed to saving and restoring coral reefs. Wit & West even adopted a coral structure (and named it Caldera) and will donate part of the fragrance’s sales to support and protect the organization’s important mission.

Caldera Flower may also be Wit & West’s most lavish and sophisticated creation to date. Artisan perfumer Wit has a true talent for using white florals in her natural perfumes, and her knack for this fragrance style shines brightly in this creation. The fragrance features gardenia in its purest and deepest form. Wit used both a rare gardenia absolute and a gardenia enfleurage in the formulation.

This fragrance walks the refined line between luxury and nature, balancing both rich and breezy components (I was pleased to see that fragrance writer Sandi Lundberg also picked up on the fragrance’s airiness – read her review here).

The richness comes through in the first part of the fragrance’s life. I smell both gardenia (powerful, opulent, verdant) and ylang ylang (heady and sweet with a touch of banana peel that’s just a little off). These opulent florals are brightened by green and uplifting neroli (one of Wit’s favorite materials) and zingy ginger, which combine to create a slightly soapy, almost retro sensation.

The airier quality comes from magnolia, which emerges as a light lemon meringue twirl. I also agree with fragrance writer Beth Butterfield who mentioned a bubblegum effect in the fragrance (read her review here). I detect a bubblegum note with subtle hints of banana and other fruits, which fade to make room for the subtle and elegant base over time.

Caldera Flower’s buttery soft base stars Wit’s signature Haitian vanilla bean tincture (deep and full bodied), ambrette seeds (musky and a little boozy), and sandalwood (ever so whispered).

The best part about Caldera Flower is how it can feel almost weightless and even disappear, only to reappear and catch you off guard with its charming scent when you least expect it.

Featured notes:

Top: Bergamot, Neroli, Ginger

Heart: Gardenia Absolute, Magnolia, Ylang Ylang

Base: Sandalwood, In-House Tahitian Vanilla Bean Tincture, Ambrette Seed

All creations by Wit & West are handcrafted in small batches in their lab in Littleton, Colorado. The artisan fragrances are made using 100% all-natural ingredients, including essential oils, absolutes, tinctures, and enfleurage preparations. The packaging is composed of recyclable materials. Wit creates all the fragrances, while West oversees all design components.

Read my house overview and interview with Wit here.

Caldera Flower is available in 15 ml bottles (the cutest bottles!) and 1.5 ml vials on the brand’s website.

I warmly thank Wit for sending me a sample of Caldera Flower.

Words and photos by Damiana.