Miller Harris – WANDER through the parks – Step into spring 7.5/10
Miller Harris, sounds like it could be the name of a finance or law firm, but this being a perfume blog, I’m talking about the under the radar niche fragrance brand from the United Kingdom. The brainchild of British perfumer Lyn Harris, the house was founded in 2000, and according to Basenotes has 60 plus perfumes in their portfolio. Lyn Harris ultimately left Miller Harris in 2012 to pursue other endeavours (Perfumer H), but the brand’s ethos of focusing on using the finest natural ingredients and sustainability remains steadfast.
I haven’t had a whole lot of experience with the brand, but the perfumes I have tried I’ve enjoyed. Tea Tonique and Vetiver Insolent are well worth a sample. WANDER through the parks is another you can add to your sample list, and with spring around the corner in Australia, it will be one I’ll be turning to a lot in the coming months.
WANDER through the parks is one of four perfumes released in 2018/2019 as part of the brand’s “Forage” series, which was inspired by finding greenery within an urban setting. The others in the series are DANCE among the lace (Bertrand Duchaufour), HIDDEN on the rooftops (Bertrand Duchaufour), and LOST in the city (Mathieu Nardin).
According to Miller Harris the inspiration behind the scent is:
“Stinging nettles spring up all over London, producing a unique, sparkling green scent. Before they flower their spiky greens are smoothed, the sappy earthiness of the stems blend with zesty fruits. A beautiful unisex fragrance with fresh notes of Pink Grapefruit and Juicy Mandarin to balance the green, sappy Nettle.”
The perfume opens with a zing of red berries and a touch of grapefruit, before the vegetal heart notes take over. Spiky, edgy greens of nettle and galbanum give the scent an herbal, fresh cut grass feel and really do, as the moniker suggests, evoke the sensation of a wander through a park. A fig and tuberose note in the mid add some fruity floral complexity. The green earthy dry down of violet leaf and patchouli close things out on an appropriate note. WANDER through the parks is a compelling take on freshness that doesn’t focus on citrus as the central theme.
Quick Notes:
Launch Year: 2018.
Perfumer: Mathieu Nardin
Top notes: Grapefruit, mandarin, blackcurrant, red berries.
Heart notes: Galbanum, fig, nettle, tuberose.
Base notes: Violet leaf, cashmeran, patchouli, musk
Longevity: 6-8 hours maximum.
Projection: 2 hours moderate.
Season: Spring, summer.
Price: 50ml EdP, £100 Pounds, 100ml, £140 Pounds.
Alternatives: Olfactive Studio Panorama, Ulrich Lang APSU, Chanel Bel Respiro.
Have you tried WANDER through the parks? Do you have a favourite from Miller Harris?