Navitus Parfums Raised Spirits by Olya Bar©

“The smoke clears and the distorted landscape begins to come into focus. The silhouette of a highball glass begins to materialize, and the setting secures intelligibility. Dark rum is the intoxicating spirit of the evening, and its mesmerizing spice is complemented by the saccharine warmth of sweetly flowing brown sugar syrup. Dulcet wafts of caramel linger in the ether, and we are beckoned to advance forward towards the enticing essence. Our emotional state is exalted, and our worries dissolve as the congenial smell of vanilla from Madagascar overtakes our senses. Tobacco leaves evoke an aura of grandeur and timelessness with their long-lasting effect. The grounding smell of French oak conjures images of rum-soaked barrels that hold the memory of the spirit with their enigmatic exudations. Pimento leaves establish a unique aromatic flavor with a hint of spice for an exotic sensation that is as addictive as it is renewing. Raised Spirits is a toast to new beginnings and a clear perspective.” – Steven Gavrielatos, Creative Director.

Navitus Parfums Raised Spirits feels like you are stepping into the hazy twilight of a forgotten speakeasy, where the air is filled with the ghosts of revelry past, capturing the alchemy of renewal through the lens of boozy indulgence. Created under the masterful hands of perfumers Dominique Ropion and Julien Rasquinet—with creative direction from Steven Gavrielatos—the fragrance blends the warmth of aged spirits with the flavorful addition of far-flung botanicals.

Rum via Unsplash.

From the very first spritz, Navitus Parfums Raised Spirits felt like a familiar embrace, a veil of dark rum, rich and spiced, like the first sip of a forbidden cocktail in a dimly lit bar where secrets are traded like currency. This isn’t a harsh, biting rum; it’s mesmerizing in its depth, laced with the saccharine warmth of brown sugar syrup that flows like molten amber, sweet yet never cloying. The opening notes beckon with dulcet wafts of caramel, lingering in the ether like the afterglow of a caramelized dessert under a flickering candle. It’s an invitation to surrender, to let the worries of a long day dissolve as the congenial essence of Madagascar vanilla overtakes your senses, creamy and exalted, evoking sun-drenched pods split open under a tropical sky.

Then comes the grandeur of the heart through tobacco leaves, that clings with long-lasting tenacity, reminiscent of leather-bound libraries and whispered confidences over cigars. This is where the fragrance truly grounds itself, with French oak conjuring visions of rum-soaked barrels, their wood imbued with the memory of spirits aged to perfection. There’s a subtle spice here, courtesy of pimento leaves, that adds an addictive layer—renewing and invigorating, like a hint of allspice in a classic Old Fashioned, bridging the warmth of the gourmand with the intrigue of the aromatic.

Navitus Parfums Raised Spirits mood board  by Olya Bar©

The vanilla and caramel soften into a velvety base, while the tobacco and oak provide a sturdy backbone, ensuring the scent evolves rather than fades. On my skin, it transforms over hours into something profoundly personal: the initial boozy exuberance mellows into a comforting hug, with the pimento’s spice offering just enough edge to keep things from veering into predictability. It’s addictive in its renewal, a fragrance that shifts with your mood, exalting in moments of celebration, grounding in times of reflection. Some might find the rum note too potent at first, evoking a cocktail hour that borders on the heady, but patience reveals its true balance, a symphony where each element plays off the other in perfect harmony.

Housed in a bottle with a color that mimics the clearing haze of its narrative, Raised Spirits is a toast to the bygone era of savoring life in style.

Disclosure: Raised Spirits was kindly gifted to me, but opinions are always my own.

Olya Bar, Editor

Notes: Caramel, Pimento Leaf, Rum; Caramel, Brown sugar, Sugar Cane; Bourbon Vanilla, Tobacco, Oak, Cashmere Wood.

 Raised Spirits via the brand.

Thanks to Nativus Parfums we have a 100 ML of Raised Spirits for one registered CaFleureBon reader in the USA ONLY.  You must register to have your comment count. To be eligible, YOU MUST REGISTER and leave a comment on this site with what you thought of Olya’s review and if you have a favorite Navitus Parfums fragrance. Draw closes 08/23/2025 but will not be announced until up to ten days later. Please be sure to check back as we will not contact you.

Michelyn’s note: Raised Spirits was launched in 2022 and “having macerated over the last year, is now back in stock after a wait of more than 18 months.” per Navitus Parfums Instagram

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