Wit and West Streetcar Magnolia courtesy the brand
Mama lives in Mandeville
I can hardly wait until
I can hear my Zydeco
And laissez les bons temps rouler
And take rides in open cars
My brother knows where the best bars are
Let’s see how these blues’ll do
In the town where the good times stay — “Crescent City” by Lucinda Williams
New Orleans streetcar and magnolia, image via visittheusa.com
What does New Orleans smell like in your imagination? A confetto of fruity florals with as many colours as Mardi Gras beads? Indolic, fading jasmine for Blanche Dubois? King cake, chicory coffee and the yeasty waft of beignets? For Whitney Swales, founder and nose for botanical brand Wit and West, it is the herbal floral, Streetcar Magnolia. Described as a “nod to the historic St. Charles Streetcar of New Orleans and the state flower of Louisiana … [and an] afternoon spent exploring the French Quarter before heading over via streetcar to the enchanting Garden District,” Wit and West Streetcar Magnolia is more Lucinda Williams than House of the Rising Sun, sidestepping associations with Tennessee William’s doomed heroine with a modern, upbeat floral that leans, surprisingly, into herbs and incense.
Whitney Swales of Wit and West Perfumes
Streetcar Magnolia starts out with a refreshing blast of holy basil that feels like a late spring morning when the nighttime chill hasn’t quite burned off yet. There’s a juicy burst of yuzu right after, popping like a glittery firework and quieting down just as quickly. As the basil moves forward, I can just start to get glimpses of the perfume’s namesake flower. But the first stage is all about holy basil, which, unlike better-known types of this herb, has something of the anisic-savory qualities of French lavender and a minty undertone that is both soothing and invigorating. On a hot, sticky July day like today, it’s a welcome tonic.
Magnolia photo by Michelyn©
The citrusy yuzu linger provides an easy segue for the magnolia, which to me often smells like a blend of lemon teacake and distant jasmine vine. As the magnolia fills out, there is a slightly astringent drift of Ceylon tea. Closing my eyes, I find myself mentally sitting on the verandah of a Garden District manse listening to the quiet drawl of the afternoon. Swales adroitly keeps the lemony note present throughout the composition, which adds the tang needed to balance out the more herbal-anisic qualities of the basil and keep the magnolia richer and less waterlily than it sometimes come across in perfumery.
The real surprise in Streetcar Magnolia is the potent frankincense that comes in a bit later. I have found that certain natural frankincense can have distinct facets of mint, as this one does. Rather than lending a smoky, ecclesiastical timbre to Streetcar Magnolia, this frankincense accentuates the holy basil’s wintergreen bite and adds density and just a smudge of something darker and earthier – patchouli — to balance out what could otherwise have been a prettiness overload. Streetcar Magnolia hums a harmony of herbs, zingy citrus and full-bodied flower.
Wit and West Streetcar Magnolia is a great perfume to carry around in the torpor of summer. A fresh spritz brings that bouncy yuzu-holy basil, which feels like a Pimm’s’ cocktail for the skin, and the scent’s floral-herbal lingers following me around like a welcome breeze.
Notes: Holy basil, yuzu, magnolia, araucaria, frankincense, patchouli.
Disclaimer: Sample of Wit and West Streetcar Magnolia kindly provided by Wit and West Perfumes. My opinions, as always, are my own.
Lauryn Beer, Senior Editor
Wit and West Streetcar Magnolia, image via the brand
Thanks to the largess of Wit and West Perfumes, we have a draw for 15 ml of Streetcar Magnolia for one registered reader in the USA, Mexico, Canada, New Zealand and Australia To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what strikes you about Wit and West Streetcar Magnolia and where you live. Draw closes 7/6/2023.
Whitney Swales was the 163rd American Perfumer in our Profiles in American Perfumery Series.
Wit and West was featured in our 2022 July 4th video 3 American Indie Brands You Should Know.
Enjoy Lauryn’s review of Honeysuckle Halycon
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